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Old May 31, 2011, 10:30 PM   #3
teedles915
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Join Date: May 20, 2011
Location: Somerset, Ky
Posts: 41
This is just my personal take on things. Keep in mind that each child is different and therefore must be handled on a individual basis.

My son is turning seven this week. In the last year I have become interested in handguns. Of course as he saw me being interested he was curious. I did a lot of research on how to handle this. Here is what I did...

The first thing I did was sit him down and explain to him in no uncertain terms that guns, if used inproperly WILL kill people. Then I covered the 4 basic rules of gun safety. After that I showed him how to check and make sure that it wasn't loaded and that we had to do that 3 times before we could look at it. Next we went out and I showed him how it worked, and with this I used targets that were reactive so he could see exactly the power it had. He knows that anytime (within reason) he askes to look at my guns we will get it out and look at it.

My next step was to get him a very cheap and under powered airsoft pistol, so that he could practice all of those rules. And he did break those rules multiple times and each time I corrected him, and at first explained to him why he shouldn't have made that mistake. Eventually the mistake became less and less, and when I did correct him, I would make him tell me why.

Just recently we purchased him a Co2 powered crossman BB pistol. He has become proficent at firing it, and 95% of the times follows the rules. There are still times that he makes mistakes, once again I correct him sternly but nicely.

I purchased a new revolver today and the first thing i did when he got home was show him how it worked, and how to check if it was unloaded. I do this because if he does become curious and somehow gets to the guns, or if he goes to someone elses house who isn't as careful as we are he will know how to check them, and unload them.

With all that being said, I do my part too. They are locked up when not in use.

Hope this helps
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