Neighbor kids shooting supervised at home

[Drifter27]

What do you think about letting some of your neighbors' kids shoot on your property?

We have enough land to shoot pistols regularly and rifles occasionally at our house without any hassle. When we do shoot its almost automatic 2 neighbor brothers come down on their side by side wanting to join in. They are 7 and 8. Their parents have given consent with supervision which they always have, their parents are pro gun and they follow any and all rules they are given. And the 8 year old is a better shot than me with my buckmark.

Is this something you would allow under these circumstances? I currently do but am biased to getting younger people interested in and enjoying shooting

 

[LoonWulf]

I'd honestly be more concerned with them on the SxS than shooting a gun while properly supervised lol.
I don't see an issue with it, but then I also believe in teaching stuff like shooting early.

 

[Ed4032]

This is a great thing to do for the young people. Knowledge only becomes knowledge when it is past on to others.

 

[Spats McGee]

With the consent of their parents and supervision, I'd absolutely take them shooting.

 

[whughett]

Consent in writing might be prudent.

 

[Alex Clayton]

Only thing I would and have done is make damn sure the parents are all in on it. Then have fun and let them have fun

 

[jmorris]

Eyes and ears, I am all for new shooters. If you don't take them under your wing now, in just a couple years they will have their own firearms and be shooting right next to you. I would rather them have my safety standards.

 

[wgp]

I do it on my own range. But, "supervision" has to be real, not just saying "hey, be safe" while you're playing on your phone.

 

[BreechFace]

Life's meant to be lived. Get written consent from the parents, don't have unnecessary distractions while teaching. And set some good guidelines/rules for handling the firearms. Would be prudent to have another "seasoned" gun person out there helping to make sure everyone is abiding by the guidelines/rules.

Good on you for taking the initiative to take the mystique out of firearms for some kids, you might just save one of them from having a negligent discharge later on in life setting them up to succeed now.

 

[Drifter27]

They are very willing to listen to my overbearing safety rules since they get a chance to shoot something they haven't before. They aren't as safe as I'd like (nothing serious, just breaking a rule they probably aren't used to) but have the basics down and dont need a reminder often. I watch them like a hawk and if they are shooting something new they dont have an opportunity to be a hazard to themselves or anyone else. I do make sure they are confident, safe and having fun.

Their parents are ok with it, im pretty sure the dad is more pro 2a than me. I didnt know that was possible lol

 

[jmorris]

I do make sure they are confident, safe and having fun.

Win, win and win.

 

[film495]

get it in writing, and have the parents sign a liability waiver like you do for school sports and activities

 

[SterlingBullet]

When you see for example what Florida law says about providing firearms to minors, it still may not be prudent to even consider doing even with written permissions. I’d rather have the parents there. Florida Statutes: 790.17 Furnishing weapons to minors under 18 years of age or persons of unsound mind and furnishing firearms to minors under 18 years of age prohibited.—
(1) A person who sells, hires, barters, lends, transfers, or gives any minor under 18 years of age any dirk, electric weapon or device, or other weapon, other than an ordinary pocketknife, without permission of the minor’s parent or guardian, or sells, hires, barters, lends, transfers, or gives to any person of unsound mind an electric weapon or device or any dangerous weapon, other than an ordinary pocketknife, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

 

[DT Guy]

I think it would be a great thing to do, but I'd probably want the dad down for a session or two before I took them on myself. Just so he gets a first-hand look at how you run things, and you can make sure you're eye-to-eye on safety protocols. And if he's as 2A friendly as you say, it shouldn't be an issue getting him down for some shooting.

Larry

 

[CRracer712]

No neighbors, but have had my boys friends out in the past for shooting when they were younger and at home. Never worried about written permission, if something were to have happened, I was the supervisor, it was gonna be my rear end no matter what a piece of paper said.

Most of those boys, grown now, still come out to shoot because I live in the country and sometimes they just want to shoot the breeze.

 

[rust collector]

Every situation is different, but I would take the opportunity to get a waiver and release of liability in writing from the parents. Blame your lawyer, who said it was absolutely essential when you discussed it with her. Keep it simple but with wide application.

Someone said that a piece of paper won't change anything, but I disagree. There will always be the potential for liability, but if both parents have signed a good waiver, there will be no nonsense about "well I didn't know they would be doing that", "I didn't know they would be shooting those", I didn't know they were both shooting guns". One of the best attributes of a good release is that it chills our society's current inclination to blame others, and weeds out competent plaintiff attorneys. If there is resistance, that is a good indication that it is time to pull the pin!