bamaboy
The boy started with a .22 Cricket at age 7, (I think), highly supervised by me. We used CCI CB long ammo, hardly louder than a pellet rifle if that, so that I could coach easily and he would not struggle with muff's.
We moved to .22lr with the same rifle in about 6-9 months,and started using muffs too. One of the big issues with yougtsters is having the strength and ability to manage the rifle, and the Cricket/Chipmunk clan ease that issue considerably. The other is the seriousness of what a real firearm is capable of when mishandled.
Boys first centerfire experience was age 9-10 w/ single loaded, single shots with a Marlin .357, loaded with .38 wadcutters. But the external hammer was a hassle, as the guy cold not safely, easily lower the hammer on a live round. So again, highly supervised, we shot everyround he loaded on the spot. A practice only type experience.
I bought a .223 Mini Mauser 2 yrs later, and he shot it very well, taking 2 (3 maybe ?) whitetails with it and bonded bullets. Stepped up to a 7.62x39 bolt rifle (Ruger) at age 13,and .243 next season.
At 16 now, he shoots what he wants. His latest was 8 rds from the Garand sitting, with 8 hits on a pie plate at 100, and a respectable 188-7x at 600 with my F-T/R rifle in March. He also outshot me last month at the local IDPA match (but I got even this month)! Pretty proud papa as you will note.
Last thought, all those early years, he was not really on fire to shoot, he sort of just went through the motions, though very well. We would shoot, and he'd shoot a little, and seemed to loose interest. I had to remind myself that the attention span of youngsters can be very short, despite the subject.
But the last year or so he's really been intrigued, rooting through my stack of old magazines (the kind you read!), watching shooting shows, etc. and wanting me to buy him his own IDPA pistol. Guess he's hooked.
Good luck w/ your boy and you're doing right starting him out as a shooter. Start'em safe and slow and they'll have skill and ability that others do not more and more frequently in todays world.