Is there such a thing as too early?

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Also, I was 7-8 when I got the hands-on demo. I knew safety basics before then.
 
DeadLiver said:
I've been on medical leave after a surgery for 2 months now and it's nice to feel that I'm doing something right.

I recently recovered from a removal of a dead large intestine. Never did I have such a healthy perspective on life than during my recovery. I don't have kids of my own, but I can understand how hugely proud you must be. Thank you for sharing the pics.
 
I felt that way after my liver transplant 5 years ago at the ripe old age of 21...Cheating death does seem to have that effect on people.
 
One thing to consider: does the range have an age level? My range has a no children under 5yrs rule. Of course safety and handling can be done earlier if the child is receptive. At that young of an age children love manipulating objects: buttons like the safety and mag release, triggers, hammer,slides, watching the cylinder roll, lights, lasers, etc. Followed by this is not a toy speech. I the end it really depends on the child.
 
To the original poster, the only way to know for sure is to leave the gun on the kitchen table and leave your daughter in the kitchen while you go outside.

If the gun is exactly where you left it when you return, perhaps some of what you said has stuck. If not, well, shoot, she's two. Two year olds are curious. Probably best that you unload the gun first.

My two cents? Eight is the right age. My son is nine and we've been on bb guns for about a year now and are close to getting a .22 for him. My daughter is 11 and she's nowhere near ready to be around a real gun. They both know the rules and what they're supposed to do (Stop, Don't Touch, Leave the Room, Tell an Adult), and I'm fairly confident that my son would do all of that. There's no way my daughter would - she's a bit of a show off and would want to take charge of the situation and that, unfortunately, would include touching the gun. We're very safe in my house, but I worry about what would happen in a neighbor's house? Of course the job of the parent is to know where your kids are and who they are associating with, etc.

Free internet advice, worth what 'ya paid for it.
 
I start my kids (five of them) of the Eddie Eagle routine the instant they start wanting to see my gun.

Usually it 4-5 years old... this last one was 2 years old... his big brothers played with a toy nerf gun and rubber band gun.

We go through the rules, then I make sure they've chosen a safe direction, then we check the action, then I hand them the gun and stay with them to make sure they keep their finger off the trigger.
 
I think you're doing it exactly how it should be done :) It's the same way I have taught my first daughter (now 4), and will teach my second daughter (6 days old) when it comes time.

Guns shouldn't hold a mystique to children. Kids who aren't allowed to see something, touch something, understand something then see it as "forbidden fruit" and want to taste it more than ever.

My daughter knows that if she ever wants to hold or look at any of my guns, all she has to do is ask. I will put down whatever I'm doing and let her get her fill. This doesn't happen that often because she sees them on a daily basis, and the mystery is gone. They're just another item that she's not supposed to touch without asking.

I also shoot airsoft and BB Air rifles/pistols with my daughter, and have since she was 2. She loves it, and it has built good discipline. She always keeps the airguns pointed downrange, keeps the fingers off the trigger until she's ready to shoot, and knows that they aren't toys.
 
On a side note, the "leave a gun on the table" idea is quite good. I have done this myself. A few of my airsofts are perfect replicas of the gun they're intended to look like. I have left them in various spots, unloaded, to see her reaction, and to see if she'd touch it.

She's never failed the test. Always comes and gets mommy or daddy whenever she sees one where it's not supposed to be. She knows to do the same thing over at friends houses also.
 
zombie, well said...that IS a great idea. I think I first heard it from SM (steve).
 
We have 3 children. 17,13 and 9. They all have turned out to be very level headed at 8 or so, the youngest was a little flighty so I did not start her shooting until this year.
One of the lessons I imparted to them was that you can not take a fired bullet back. It was taught to me at age ten, before I ever fired a round, by my neighbor,Jack, who taught me to shoot.
He placed an inflated balloon on a bail of straw and shot it. Then he told me to go fix it. I was dumbfounded and told him that it was impossible to fix the balloon. He crouched down beside me,and asked if he should take the bullet back, then I could fix the balloon. Being ten, I asked him how could he take the bullet back?
He replied"I can't, always remember, when you pull the trigger you can not undo what you have done."
I have taken all our children through that exercise. As I relate this story I realize that Jacks demonstration to me had profound effect on me. It taught me that you can not take any action you take back.
 
Cool story Cpl, and welcome to the high road. Very good object lesson.
 
It begins when they have enough language to understand and obey rule No.1:

"You may touch this only when I am holding it" (courtesy my Father-in-Law).

And it proceeds by degrees from there.

Never say 'no' to a request that encourages curiosity and familiarity---NEVER let guns be the 'forbidden' thing. To me, THAT road leads to horrible tragedy and no where else. Don't be swayed by the nonsense of those bleeting in the field about a child being too young---EXCEPT to note if *their* kid is over at YOUR HOUSE; he or she will be the ONE that wants to sneak-a-peak at 'THE GUNS'.

Sure, the weapons need to be secured from little hands and many big ones.

(BTW--our girls are 4 and 6--and the pink Crickets arrive for the 5th B-day @ my house----little miss 4-year-old's is waiting on her and we have begun familiarizing with it. As a side bar, I broke my own rule and decided that safety indoctrination was more of an issue than insisting on 'iron sights' discipline; the optic mount from Cricket and a cheapie red dot make plinking MUCH more fun and enticing. And Daddy cleans the weapons for now (lead *is* an issue, and cleaning IS NOT FUN).
 
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lots of good info here but one thing that really stood out was what KDSTRICK said. When my oldest son turned 4 I bought him his first BB gun and took him to the range. Before we even took his gun out we lined up a few cans of pumpkin pie filling and shot them with my .300 win mag ( pretty cool) and we talked about the what ifs, What if that was your brother or sister? With the most serious expression I'd ever seen on his face he said OHH NOOO. and ever since he has shown way more maturity than I ever expected. He still loves to shoot his BB gun or go squirrell hunting with me (he's 5 now ) so he hasn't been scarred for life he just learned that guns are not toys
 
My oldest son is 4 years old and we've taken him shooting once with us and I held the gun (fn 5.7) and let him squeeze off 20 rounds and after about 10 rounds he kinda got bored but he definitely understood that guns go bang and they are loud. Now he really has no curosity as he sees me reload all the time and I let him in my gun room to help with either sorting the brass or putting the bullet in for seating. Do I think it's too early, no way. I think like some of you where if you take the curosity out of the equation and let them see what guns do to objects they have a better understanding of what guns really do thus making them less likely to play around with them.
 
Mine has been coming around slowly and I let her dry fire at the wall as she lines up the sights across my bed. If she learns trigger finger control (keep it off the bang switch) I will soon take her out she is now 7.
 
On the other hand, I think it's great to expose your kids to guns. In fact, I'd even suggest making the kid bored of guns if possible. Don't let it be a novelty...
Make them clean them for you when you return from the range. ;)
 
That's a really cute photo DeadLiver. :)

Make them clean them for you when you return from the range.
You, sir, are brilliant!


I have some 3-5 y/o kids around, not my own. I figured I'd start with bb guns with them to help assuage any parental fears. Anyone here start with bb guns?
 
Just an update. Since I first posted this, it's become almost a daily ritual. She comes up to me and says "Daddy, hold your gun please." I'm happy to oblige. We'll have to see about leaving it on the table in another year or two though. She's only two and I don't expect her to be able to pass that test right now. Aside from that, thanks again for all the encouraging words and good advice!
 
Aw hell! My kid was just shy of 2 when she first shot a 22. At a few curious months old, she was playing with a cap gun, around a year she would shot the thing, over a year a BB gun. Going back, she was shooting with mom before we realized mom was with child. A kid is never too young if the parent is mature.

Start off small and by the time they're 10 or so, they may want to shoot often. Plus they're less likely to be mixed up in a firearm mishap because you've educated them about the 10 firearm commandments.
 
You did a great job. And I echo the fact of "Do not touch unless Daddy is there"!!
I was given a BB gun at age 4, and my first 22 at age 8. But before I got to use them, I went through a firearms safety course and the NRA hunters course.
I am a military vet and ex LE. I respect firearms, and know what they can and can't do, because I was introduced to them early and correctly.
 
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