This is inspired by the closed thread about the Florida woman shot by her 4-year-old child.
I have a five year old boy. I have taught him first the main parts of firearms from about 3 years old on and then integrated the four main rules of firearms safety into his curriculum. He can now tell me what all the parts of a firearm are and what they are four and also can quote and tell me what the meaning of the four rules of firearm safety are. He has shot long guns under my supervision but not handguns yet. He has been exposed to firearms all his life from me and my wife concealed carrying and also from shooting at our own private range.
He would never touch a firearm without asking me or my wife first and knows how to handle one safely under our supervision. I trust him that he would never pick up a firearm he found lying around and cause a negligent discharge, especially one with injury, death or destruction of property.
I trust him.
Not that I would leave him unsupervised with a loaded firearm in his hands, however I can never see that happening as I know my son and trust he would never handle one without our permission.
I could leave him in a room with a hundred loaded firearms lying around him and I know he wouldn't touch them. He has demonstrated to me that he can be trusted along those lines (again, not that I would ever do that).
Are there any other parents out there that have a young child at home that have that trust in their child around firearms or do you think I am out of line for having that kind of trust in a five-year-old?
This is why I am all for a firearm safety curriculum in public schools (e.g. Eddie Eagle to start), with live fire practice as the child advances. It takes the mystique out of firearms and instills the rules of safety into them early.
I have a five year old boy. I have taught him first the main parts of firearms from about 3 years old on and then integrated the four main rules of firearms safety into his curriculum. He can now tell me what all the parts of a firearm are and what they are four and also can quote and tell me what the meaning of the four rules of firearm safety are. He has shot long guns under my supervision but not handguns yet. He has been exposed to firearms all his life from me and my wife concealed carrying and also from shooting at our own private range.
He would never touch a firearm without asking me or my wife first and knows how to handle one safely under our supervision. I trust him that he would never pick up a firearm he found lying around and cause a negligent discharge, especially one with injury, death or destruction of property.
I trust him.
Not that I would leave him unsupervised with a loaded firearm in his hands, however I can never see that happening as I know my son and trust he would never handle one without our permission.
I could leave him in a room with a hundred loaded firearms lying around him and I know he wouldn't touch them. He has demonstrated to me that he can be trusted along those lines (again, not that I would ever do that).
Are there any other parents out there that have a young child at home that have that trust in their child around firearms or do you think I am out of line for having that kind of trust in a five-year-old?
This is why I am all for a firearm safety curriculum in public schools (e.g. Eddie Eagle to start), with live fire practice as the child advances. It takes the mystique out of firearms and instills the rules of safety into them early.