you do realize that the world where you take care of animals first thing has comprised a minority of the population for a few generations now, right?
I thought this last night when I was telling PBP about how easy kids learn, etc.. Even though I taught my kids starting at ~3 yrs old, and at ~ 6 yrs old was the last time either of them did anything stupid with a gun, and I trusted them (but not with unrestricted access to unsecured guns) by 8, and ~12-14 they had loaded handguns in their rooms...and never had an incident. I have to be in the minority here.
I almost posted those facts but was hesitant because of the thought that most people nowadays are not competant enough to undertake such a thing. It's not that the kids wont or cannot learn it, but that the parents are not cognizant enough to be 100% solid in their instruction. With all the media fearmongering, the lack of societal acceptance of kids being taught about gun safety, and the lack of the parents skills to teach properly...probably a bad idea for most.
Doesn't mean it's not possible, just that I probably have superior kids, and they had a dedicated instructor(s). I better give credit where it is due and say Massad Ayoob's excellant book "Gunproof your Children" guided me well because it did.
So even though you guys are wrong because it is possible, I can see where generally speaking...don't try this at home is probably good advice nowadays. A sad but true fact of modern society.
ANd PB, kids are taught to steal cookies if you think about it.