Kids and Guns

[Magnus]

I have been trying to teach my son about firearms, he is 3 at the moment and gets most of the things I'm teaching him. He walks around with his pistol in his IWB holster and guards the doors before we turn in for the night. He's a kid and I know he wants to go around and shoot it because his is a toy. I have told him that I don't use my pistol like he uses his because it's used to stop bad guys from hurting him and mommy. The problem came this morning as I was putting on his samurai bun. Mommy had yelled and disciplined him this morning. He noticed he was unarmed, but I was armed. He points to it and says daddy, use your gun to shoot mommy. After I was scolded for what he said, I sat him down and tried to explain. I told him that my pistol can really hurt somebody, and once it does they are gone for good. I want to find more ways to teach him about firearms and remove his curiosity about what they can do.

 

[Eddie Gunks]

Shoot a Tweety Bird. Or a squirrel. That get the message across.

Or maybe it'll just make him a serial killer.

 

[JamieZ]

Personally I think he is to young to learn anything. At 3 I didnt know anything. I might of thought I knew but didnt. I learned guns at a young age but still did stupid stuff with them. My father had nothing to do with guns but allowed me to have them at an age around 8 years old. I got into them because the guy across the street who I was friends with his son took us trap shooting. So I started going with them. I ended up doing better than his own son. I ended up being chosen to go for state competitions at age 12 because I won the county competitions. I also worked on a farm with friends of my father, which also got me involved with bailing hay and hunting. I still till this day hunt with one of the kids from the farm.

Basically you can do your best to try and teach your kids about guns but they are still kids and might do odd ball stuff. Like me.....was taught the right way about guns from the neighbor but still got into huge BB gun wars in the village of Bergen. 10-15 kids against 10-15 kids. Cops called and everything. Also took my shotgun out and hunted the guys Pheasants right behind my house that would escape the pen he was raising them in. This was all in the village,,,,,,,,,,,,also hunted crows,,,also shot the neighbors roof about 300yds from my house. Did many other crazy things but never once thought about shooting another person,,,,I did almost get shot once in the foot by my farmer buddy with a 22.

 

[Magnus]

Shoot a Tweety Bird. Or a squirrel. That get the message across.

Or maybe it'll just make him a serial killer.

That can work, he refused to go fishing with me after we caught and drowned a fish in air, he does not like hurting animals.

 

[Magnus]

Basically you can do your best to try and teach your kids about guns but they are still kids

That much I get, but its hard to explain to my wife that he really didn't mean for me to kill her lol. I feel that he may be too young, but I also don't want him to grow up with out the knowledge. I don't want him at someone else's house where there are guns and he ends up picking it up.

 

[Phazer]

At 3 I didnt know anything.

My wife is sure that I still don't.

 

[Podmonkey]

I think what you did was the best you could do. I am not opposed to hunting or the shooting of animals but I don't think shooting a squirrel or somesuch would get your messgae across. It may simply disturb your son and shooting an animal for no real purpose may run counter to your original point. I think the best way to show that guns are tools to be treated with care and respect and care is simply to shoot them. Blow up some water jugs, that may show your son how serious guns are. Also teach him gun safety with his toy gun, use it as a training aid. Don't allow him to point at people or in unsafe directions.

 

[masterswimmer]

Kids that age are much too young to learn about guns. Not because they can't learn though. On the contrary, they are like sponges at that age and can learn much more than we do as adults. The problem at that age is they don't reason yet. They aren't able to fully understand cause and effect.

Each child enters the age of advanced cognitive abilities at different times. Therefore each child's introduction to firearms should vary. Your son basically screamed to you that he isn't ready.

 

[S&W Fan]

Safety should be your one and only concern when It comes to teaching any child at the age of three about firearms. Yes, they are learning sponges but he does not yet have the comprehension skills to understand much beyond, don't touch, and why. Repetitive teaching of the safety rules will help you in the long run when you start to teach him about all the other aspects of handling and using a firearm down the road.

 

[JamieZ]

I think what you did was the best you could do. I am not opposed to hunting or the shooting of animals but I don't think shooting a squirrel or somesuch would get your messgae across. It may simply disturb your son and shooting an animal for no real purpose may run counter to your original point. I think the best way to show that guns are tools to be treated with care and respect and care is simply to shoot them. Blow up some water jugs, that may show your son how serious guns are. Also teach him gun safety with his toy gun, use it as a training aid. Don't allow him to point at people or in unsafe directions.

Kind of exactly how I was taught at the age of around 8......it was a chunk of 2x4 and what the gun could do to it and that the gun would do the same thing to a human but worse

 

[Eddie Gunks]

I don't remember being three.

But I do remember running around playing cowboys and Indians, and war. And I remember shooting my friends with my finger And with cap guns.

 

[NirvanaFan]

I've got a 5 year old and am planning on buying him a bb gun for his 6th birthday in March. Kids can't really reason at 3 years old. I have a hard enough time with my 5 year old. Even adults make rash, dumb decisions sometimes.

It sounds like you did a good job explaining to him exactly what you should have. 3 year olds don't think of the long term consequences of their actions. Don't sweat what happened. Keep teaching him the safety rules and do what you're doing.

 

[Greywolf224]

@Magnus nothing like a man trying to teach his son what interests the man. It makes a man proud. Trust me I was there and still am. I waited till my son and daughter were 6 yrs old to teach them about firearms although I couldn't wait since the day they were born. 3 yr olds are too damn smart. They are thinking faster than you and I, but they cant yet tell reality from fiction and God-Forbid they pick up a firearm and shoot it.
I never discussed or displayed my guns to them till about 6 yrs of age. After that it was all up hill. By 7 yrs of age they both had 1k rounds of .22 shooting under their belts. They also understood to a much better degree, the harm a firearm can inflict and also the deep shit trouble they would get into if I ever caught them near any fire arm with out me being present.

By the way my kids are now 21 and 18 and I have raised firearm whores!

 

[Automan21]

Yeah 3 is a bit early. Maybe wait till he's 5. I know you want to start em young but thats a little too young.

 

[NY Leatherneck]

Started my kids on bb guns at about 9yo with safety and aiming/shooting techniques......Mostly because of their interest in it before mine in showing them.
But then again who am I to talk??.....
Guess I was 2+ here and I turned out ok. Thanks Mom!!


I wonder why I carry my Ruger SP101 .357 snubnose so much.

 

[ManrisFrack]

Kids his age (and even older) don't really understand death. The way mine reacted to their great grandmother's death was quite an eye opening experience. They just can't comprehend that type of consequence and certainly cannot tie it to specific actions or objects.

We use the Eddie Eagle mantra - stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult. They like the videos too. On the other hand, I don't keep our guns especially hidden (when I'm carrying, using, maintaining them) and I'll do a show and tell any time they ask. They have their toy guns and we have our real guns. I feel like we need to foster the separation until they can better appreciate the danger.

 

[speedkills27]

I think he might be a little too young at this point, but when hes ready you will know. Start by making your handgun visible and dont be afraid to talk about it and show him when he asks, but every time he wants to see it recite "Eddie Eagles" rules with him
What Do You Do When You See A Gun?
1. Dont touch it
2. Leave the area
3. Tell an adult
Once he has those rules memorized and you have taken the mystery out of your gun/s he may start to get the bigger picture. I tried starting my son off very early much like you. Even had him shooting a .22, then quickly realized that he didnt fully grasp the permanent nature of death or injury. He looked at it like it was just another toy. My oldest is now 9 and enjoys shooting smaller caliber guns, and we constantly work on grip and sight alignment with my handguns, in an unloaded and safe manner. As a side effect of educating on safety and respect, my wife has become much more comfortable with having the kids handle weapons and go shooting. It used to be she'd hyperventilate if she saw me and the kids handling firearms, now she has come to the point that she wont fight it and told me she'd rather have them educated about the potential dangers then have it be a mystery and one day have an accident.

 

[freddy]

Started my kids on bb guns at about 9yo with safety and aiming/shooting techniques......Mostly because of their interest in it before mine in showing them.
But then again who am I to talk??.....
Guess I was 2+ here and I turned out ok. Thanks Mom!!
View attachment 9633

I wonder why I carry my Ruger SP101 .357 snubnose so much.

Great picture!

 

[DoD1776]

IMO honest opinion, kids shouldn't really be playing with guns at his age, he needs to get to a certain age so he will understand what a gun really is and what it is capable of if not treated correctly, kids at his age are always about killing, I was like that too, then when I was 6ish or early 7 I fired my first real gun and understood.

 

[DoD1776]

I've got a 5 year old and am planning on buying him a bb gun for his 6th birthday in March. Kids can't really reason at 3 years old. I have a hard enough time with my 5 year old. Even adults make rash, dumb decisions sometimes.

It sounds like you did a good job explaining to him exactly what you should have. 3 year olds don't think of the long term consequences of their actions. Don't sweat what happened. Keep teaching him the safety rules and do what you're doing.

Exactly what I was going to say, children at his age don't reason.

 

[freddy]

,,,also shot the neighbors roof about 300yds from my house.

That was YOU that shot my roof!?!?!! After all these years! I've been looking for you!

 

[freddy]

 

[Magnus]

At times I feel like he is too young and can't comprehend, but he listens and understands for the most part. Just this morning I was dressing him when the dog bit me and my son said to me "daddy she doesn't like when you touch her master, I am her master." I catch him using treats to make her do tricks. He has seen me using a credit card to open the door to the building, and I saw him the other day swiping a card in between the bedroom door. So I kind of feel he's at a good point to understand why I have a firearm and what it is for. He understands its to stop a threat, but I want to teach him what is a threat that needs to be stopped.

 

[Celt]

Don't sweat it. Keep teaching Safety rules about real guns, and let him have fun with nerd guns.

 

[dwa12479]

Kids his age (and even older) don't really understand death. The way mine reacted to their great grandmother's death was quite an eye opening experience. They just can't comprehend that type of consequence and certainly cannot tie it to specific actions or objects.

We use the Eddie Eagle mantra - stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult. They like the videos too. On the other hand, I don't keep our guns especially hidden (when I'm carrying, using, maintaining them) and I'll do a show and tell any time they ask. They have their toy guns and we have our real guns. I feel like we need to foster the separation until they can better appreciate the danger.

This X 100 ^^^^^

Too early for them to comprehend the permanence of death.

And all of my kids have been instructed for many years that if they want to see / handle anything in the safe, come see me. I'll drop whatever I'm doing, and we'll go safely handle anything you want to see for as long as you want. Reciting the 4 major rules before and after. Takes the curiosity out of it.

 

[4excal]

I don't remember being three.

But I do remember running around playing cowboys and Indians, and war. And I remember shooting my friends with my finger And with cap guns.

Definitely. But you sure as shit ain't gonna remember the safety rules and real use of a firearm at 3. Way to young. Not the "way to young" liberal or dumb reasons, just way to young to truly retain and comprehend all the important aspects of firearms, yea the bang bang shoot em shoot em yer dead!!..but that's not the idea..

 

[NirvanaFan]

And all of my kids have been instructed for many years that if they want to see / handle anything in the safe, come see me. I'll drop whatever I'm doing, and we'll go safely handle anything you want to see for as long as you want. Reciting the 4 major rules before and after. Takes the curiosity out of it.

This, this, this.
I did this with my now 5 year old. At first, it was awesome. He was taking an interest in what I did. Then, after the 5th day in a row, it got a little tedious. It petered off over the course of a few months. Now, he only asks when I go shooting and they're out. I can't wait to get him his first BB gun in 4 weeks

 

[Cooolone]

There's a real simple way to teach a youngster like that...

Just have him real close by (safely), maybe a little further away, no ear protection, etc... But close enough he will need new pants when you fire the real gun! Not a .22 by the way, .45-ish... And when you're done, you talk to him and he will know the difference. I bet he won't want to come near a real gun for some time. Most (99.999%) of kids that young do NOT like loud noises and things they can't control, not that they have much control themselves. Don't make it fun yet, like shooting and exploding a watermelon, that can only come later after basic concepts of safety can be taught and engrained. For now just make it loud, and continue until he doesn't like it. Then stop...

3 is a bit young in my opinion to introduce this scenario (guns) as the mental capacity does not exist to differentiate real/fake yet. Do not be confused about that.

 

[GOPerfect]

IMHO, three is too young to learn and to comprehend firearms. Playing with guns if fine. Play shooting and all, very normal.

BTW, what is a samurai bun?

 

[dsdmmat]

IMHO, three is too young to learn and to comprehend firearms. Playing with guns if fine. Play shooting and all, very normal.

BTW, what is a samurai bun?

My father taught me how to shoot at 3.