My wife and I had debated when to start and do this and it was finally time. So training has begun on my 5 yr old son. He just started kindergarten and a few kids in his class have been talking about shooting guns with their dads and he seemed curious so I thought it was time. Since he could talk we have discussed what to do if he ever found a gun but today we took it a step further.
I sat him in my office and asked him if he had any questions about guns. I asked him if he would ever want to see one and he said yes. I showed him a rifle and handgun and explained some very simple basic safety rules, told him why I have them, stressed the importance of gun safety and that these were weapons not toys, etc. I stressed what to do if he ever found one or saw another kid with one, etc. I told him these were very serious tools. He wanted to touch them so I let him but he was very serious and seemed nervous during the whole discussion. I told him if he had any questions to ask, if he ever wanted to see them again to ask, if he ever wanted to shoot a gun or see one shot to ask. I plan to take him shooting when he is ready but this was a good first step and hopefully helps ease some of that curiosity he had when he was hearing his one classmate talk about shooting fish or something like that.
What have others done with their kids? How did you approach the subject? My wife is very anti gun, although she does want me to have them for protection, so its a touchy subject in the household and around many of our friends.
I sat him in my office and asked him if he had any questions about guns. I asked him if he would ever want to see one and he said yes. I showed him a rifle and handgun and explained some very simple basic safety rules, told him why I have them, stressed the importance of gun safety and that these were weapons not toys, etc. I stressed what to do if he ever found one or saw another kid with one, etc. I told him these were very serious tools. He wanted to touch them so I let him but he was very serious and seemed nervous during the whole discussion. I told him if he had any questions to ask, if he ever wanted to see them again to ask, if he ever wanted to shoot a gun or see one shot to ask. I plan to take him shooting when he is ready but this was a good first step and hopefully helps ease some of that curiosity he had when he was hearing his one classmate talk about shooting fish or something like that.
What have others done with their kids? How did you approach the subject? My wife is very anti gun, although she does want me to have them for protection, so its a touchy subject in the household and around many of our friends.