Good point, although I've yet to see someone shoot an AR without a grin on their face afterward. My friends' wives hate me.
Good point, although I've yet to see someone shoot an AR without a grin on their face afterward. My friends' wives hate me.
I had toy guns as far back as I can remember. There were unsecured real guns in the house too. Dad made sure we knew the difference. My role models back then were Roy Rogers and The Lone Ranger (yeah, I'm getting old). My friends and I would play army from the time we got out of school till the time we were called in for the night. None of us ever got in trouble.
Raise him right and let him play.
(Keep a close eye on his friends though)
Raise him right and let him play.
(Keep a close eye on his friends though)
I don't think it matters what we think, he is your son and you do what you think is best for him.
I grew up playing cowboys/indians, cops/robbers & other regular childhood games with cap guns & water guns. I know everyone isn't the same but it didn't make me think guns were toys. I knew what I was playing with wasn't a real gun & was in fact a toy. Once I was old enough for a BB gun my dad went through all the regular gun safety stuff as if he was handing me a .22 & made sure I knew at that point I wasn't handling a toy anymore.
What I'm doin with my daughters now is similar. I let them play with cap guns & water guns like a normal kid would. but I have also shown them my guns, taken them apart & cleaned them with them watching, explained how dangerous real guns are & taken them outside & had them watch me shoot things like a pumpkin & what not to show them what kinda damage can come from a bullet. They are only 5 & 9yrs old but both know how dangerous a firearm can be & that they are not to touch or play with them. As a reward I got them a little beginner BB gun for christmas & have been teaching them proper safety with that. When I feel they are ready I'll get them both a .22 rifle. But until they are mature & responsible enough their BB gun & when the time comes for a .22 will both stay locked up in my room unless I'm shooting with them.
I don't want them to be scared of guns or ignorant about them at all. so I figured the best way to battle that is knowledge & training. Its like what my grandfather did with my dad & what my dad did for me & it works. I was never curious about guns cause I was educated about them as a child. I knew my mom had a pistol by the bed but I never once went looking for it to try to mess with it cause I knew better. I hope to instill the same in my children.
What I'm doin with my daughters now is similar. I let them play with cap guns & water guns like a normal kid would. but I have also shown them my guns, taken them apart & cleaned them with them watching, explained how dangerous real guns are & taken them outside & had them watch me shoot things like a pumpkin & what not to show them what kinda damage can come from a bullet. They are only 5 & 9yrs old but both know how dangerous a firearm can be & that they are not to touch or play with them. As a reward I got them a little beginner BB gun for christmas & have been teaching them proper safety with that. When I feel they are ready I'll get them both a .22 rifle. But until they are mature & responsible enough their BB gun & when the time comes for a .22 will both stay locked up in my room unless I'm shooting with them.
I don't want them to be scared of guns or ignorant about them at all. so I figured the best way to battle that is knowledge & training. Its like what my grandfather did with my dad & what my dad did for me & it works. I was never curious about guns cause I was educated about them as a child. I knew my mom had a pistol by the bed but I never once went looking for it to try to mess with it cause I knew better. I hope to instill the same in my children.
I'm very strict with the friends. Other peoples kids scare me.
Guess I need to be clear. He will be around them and know about them early on, I just want to keep the "toy" part of it away. I just think things are different today. I had toy ones and real ones growing up, but that was in the 70's and 80's. When he gets a little older I will get him a toy and teach him safety with it.
My 2 year old son has an orange plastic gun that is part of a "Sheriff" set...badge, holster, etc...
He is only mildly interested in it and when he is its mostly because it makes noise...
He is only mildly interested in it and when he is its mostly because it makes noise...
When toy guns are witheld, most little boys will find something else to use as a toy gun. In my opinion, the best thing is to teach him the difference between the toys and the real thing. Teach him that playing guns with his friends in the back yard, is make believe, and using guns and actually shooting people is reality. Teach him that life is precious, and we don't take another person's life lightly. When taking someone else's life, there must be good reason, mostly protecting your own life, or that of another, but also as a form of discipline for those who have taken another's life maliciously and without regard to the sanctity and preciousness of it. Likewise, when we take the life of an animal, it is to feed ourselves, and make clothing and shelter. Even an animal's life is precious, and not to be taken purely for sport. If you kill an animal, make it's death honorable by using that animal to continue and protect life. Anywho, that's my two cents.
Problem with other peoples' kids is you can't beat them.
