It’s 2020- At what age do you provide your kids access and training to defensive firearms?

[Fiv3r]

It depends on the kid, I think. My daughter is 10. She has zero interest in guns and seems to shy away from them. She knows I carry one, where I keep mine, etc. She just has no desire to handle or use one.

Now, she likes to shoot bows with me, slingshot, and I recently taught her how to throw an axe to the point that she's pretty deadly at 12'

I would rather her be comfortable and want to learn how to shoot by the basics before I start trying to teaching her how to defend herself with one.

 

[Koroner]

I gave my 11 y/o son the combo to my safe. He's very calm non-aggressive. I know I can trust him. His sister who is 10 on the other hand. Very aggressive, twitchy, and always into something she's not supposed to be doing. She might noy ever get the combo. My son has an arsenal in his closet. (Arsenal for a 11 y/o) two bows, three bb guns, a collectable s&w knife, firecrackers, 5,000 rounds of .22 lr, and a few old coins. He would have his 22 if not for his sister. Cant take that chance.

DAD!!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I THOUGHT I LOST YOU!

 

[JTQ]

My daughter is 10. She has zero interest in guns and seems to shy away from them. She knows I carry one, where I keep mine, etc. She just has no desire to handle or use one.

My daughters are in their mid-20's. They had/have no interest in guns. They were aware I had them, though the guns were almost always out of sight.

When the girls were in their teens, I showed them the differences between a double action revolver, DA/SA semi-auto, and a single action semi-auto pistol. They weren't really interested in that information, but they let their father talk. That's as far as their exposure to guns went.

 

[sota]

I see a lot of not quite on topic to OP's posting, and frankly I can understand the confusion. I'm sitting here thinking, "how would I teach my kid about home defense, when really it's the legal ramifications of the choice to do so that's the most pressing part of the conversation." Ignoring the legal aspects of granting my child access to firearms unattended, how do I prove to myself (and him) he has the mental maturity to make the requisite choices at the time and under duress. How do *I* prove I'm in that condition?!
I agree that The Times we're in now make such a reflection potentially more important; I just don't know how to get from A to B.
The kid is a voracious reader; maybe I'll see if he'll read Andrew Branca's and Massad Ayoob's books.

 

[Fiv3r]

My daughters are in their mid-20's. They had/have no interest in guns. They were aware I had them, though the guns were almost always out of sight.

When the girls were in their teens, I showed them the differences between a double action revolver, DA/SA semi-auto, and a single action semi-auto pistol. They weren't really interested in that information, but they let their father talk. That's as far as their exposure to guns went.

It's so strange because she is me 2.0. My wife often says, "I love you, but I didn't think I was going to have to parent you". However when it comes to this sort of stuff, no level of exposure or her eagerness to be like dad has swayed her lack of interest in firearms.

...and thats OK If it ever comes to the point that she NEEDS a working knowledge in defensive firearms usage, she knows she can come to me.

 

[Fiv3r]

I see a lot of not quite on topic to OP's posting, and frankly I can understand the confusion. I'm sitting here thinking, "how would I teach my kid about home defense, when really it's the legal ramifications of the choice to do so that's the most pressing part of the conversation." Ignoring the legal aspects of granting my child access to firearms unattended, how do I prove to myself (and him) he has the mental maturity to make the requisite choices at the time and under duress. How do *I* prove I'm in that condition?!
I agree that The Times we're in now make such a reflection potentially more important; I just don't know how to get from A to B.
The kid is a voracious reader; maybe I'll see if he'll read Andrew Branca's and Massad Ayoob's books.

I think that is a series of fair points.
To be honest, I didn't get into firearms for defense until I was in my late 20s when I got married and bought a house. Then I started getting more familiar with handguns for personal protection when I started a family. Up until that point, I never felt the need or desire.

 

[Barry the Bear]

My son is turning 7 next month, for his 6th birthday I bought him a savage bolt action .22 LR, my brother and I took him out and he had a blast, I have talked to him about basic gun rules and safety, my daughter is 4 and has no interest in anything guns beyond a passing glance, she's rather into barbies and princesses, my youngest is a 2 months and inside its mother for now so I haven't taught him or her just yet either (I know I'm a bad dad), I've been with my wife since high school and as a result practically raised my brother in law (he was 7 when we met is about to turn 17) and when he turned 15 I gave him a mossberg 500 20ga, he has never once shown to be untrustiful with it even when friends are over it would go into my safe, I don't know when I will actually let my son have access to the safe himself though it will be quite a while.

 

[Mark39]

I think that is a series of fair points.
To be honest, I didn't get into firearms for defense until I was in my late 20s when I got married and bought a house. Then I started getting more familiar with handguns for personal protection when I started a family. Up until that point, I never felt the need or desire.

Same here. Although we had access once we had been checked out on safe gun handling which was pre-teen back in the day. Never really thought about having to use it that I can remember. Nowadays, I would say about the same age as being trusted with the family car.