264swedmoor
Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2021
- Messages
- 27
All insight is welcome, especially from those who have actually taught children how to shoot.
The question: assuming that a child demonstrates a reliably consistent ability to follow directions, (a) what is a good age to expose them to shooting and (b) what do you start them on?
Background:
My daughter is going to be six early next year and shows interest in mathematics, mechanical things, and horses (specifically rainbow unicorns). She's extremely curious, learns fast, and has a near-perfect memory...which she gets from my wife. She's somewhere >95th percentile for height which could make handling a low-recoil firearm a little easier, especially if benched.
My wife and I both believe that instilling respect for firearms is vital and we want to demystify the idea of guns early so they are not tempted to discover them in an environment outside of our control (ex. at a friend's house). I want both of our kids to know what guns can do so they understand that they are very dangerous when handled carelessly. Also, knowing how to shoot is a skill in itself.
I've showed my daughter a gun and ammunition and explained she must never touch either of them without express permission from us, not just "an adult". If she's at a friend's house and sees a gun or ammunition, she needs to leave the area and tell an adult. If there is no adult, she must come home immediately. To me, this seems like a message that guns are scary and should be feared. I want to convert that fear to respect. She knows "guns aren't bad, but they're dangerous" and I want her to understand that they can be used safely and that they need to be handled a certain way.
I know how to teach and have provided technical instruction to adults so the idea of setting lesson objectives and continuous performance assessments is not a new thing to me. I don't want to mess everything up by starting her too early.
The question: assuming that a child demonstrates a reliably consistent ability to follow directions, (a) what is a good age to expose them to shooting and (b) what do you start them on?
Background:
My daughter is going to be six early next year and shows interest in mathematics, mechanical things, and horses (specifically rainbow unicorns). She's extremely curious, learns fast, and has a near-perfect memory...which she gets from my wife. She's somewhere >95th percentile for height which could make handling a low-recoil firearm a little easier, especially if benched.
My wife and I both believe that instilling respect for firearms is vital and we want to demystify the idea of guns early so they are not tempted to discover them in an environment outside of our control (ex. at a friend's house). I want both of our kids to know what guns can do so they understand that they are very dangerous when handled carelessly. Also, knowing how to shoot is a skill in itself.
I've showed my daughter a gun and ammunition and explained she must never touch either of them without express permission from us, not just "an adult". If she's at a friend's house and sees a gun or ammunition, she needs to leave the area and tell an adult. If there is no adult, she must come home immediately. To me, this seems like a message that guns are scary and should be feared. I want to convert that fear to respect. She knows "guns aren't bad, but they're dangerous" and I want her to understand that they can be used safely and that they need to be handled a certain way.
I know how to teach and have provided technical instruction to adults so the idea of setting lesson objectives and continuous performance assessments is not a new thing to me. I don't want to mess everything up by starting her too early.