Gun proofing your children.
September 6, 2007 – 8:55 pmSo I got a matching pair of guns for me and my 3-year-old. Now don’t freak out. They are not firearms; they are just 6-mm Airhost bb guns. I argue that Aimee gave her a nurf gun, so what’s the difference?
The difference is this thing is megal, actual size, looks, and feels like a real firearm. However, it shoots 6 mm-plastic BBS at 210 fps (rather slow by BB gun standards) and obviously they can only be used with adult supervision. I wanted one blue one and one pink one, but all they had was silver and black. I got two silver ones.
Unfortunately, the things require a special gas called “green gas”. I had thought it was co2 cartridges the kind you can purchase at Wal-Mart of Myers. So back to the Internet I go. I am going to check with Wal-Mart and Myers, but I can not imagine they have something that specialized.
I pointed out to Aimee that we gave her nephew something similar last Yule. She said he was 6 and a BB gun is much to young for a 3-year-old. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that the other one was for baby brother who is less than a year old (ok, that part was a joke).
I chose a gas model because I want a good bit of noise when the thing goes off. I figure when she gets used to it, I will buy one of the gas blow back models. The ones that create a sort of a kick back by using the gas cartridge not only to propel the bb, but to rack the pistol the way most semi automatic hand guns do.
So seriously, is it that nuts for a father to want his children introduced to firearms at a very early age? I figure once I get the gas for the things, I will buy a lock box for them. Then Aubrey can start learning gun safety and respect for the things before she encounters a real one at a friend’s house while their parents aren’t looking. I figure guns are a part of almost everyday life. So kids should have a very early education, as there is such a horrible chance of them being used improperly.
Consider this: Whenever I curse around my daughter, she corrects me because her mother has told her those are bad words. Should she be at a friend’s house when a gun is introduced, doesn’t it kind of make sense that if she has proper training and will tell the friend that it should be locked up until her friends daddy gets back to take her shooting?
Now think about it. Why just child proof your home when you can also gun proof your child? After all, you can not rely on the intelligence of other firearm owners to have child proofed their homes now can you?
11 Responses to “Gun proofing your children.”
This is one of the many issues where moms and dads will SELDOM see eye to eye. Logically I can see your point- and even agree with you for the most part… But- *pointing* I’m over in that corner over there cringing and fuming with Aimee… As a Mommy, 3 is way too little. 5 or 6? Maybe. 7 or 8? Definately.
By Solstice on Sep 7, 2007
I grew up around guns. Mostly rifles and shot guns. Dad always had a loaded rifle behind the back door. Of course the safty was on. Now this was back in the 50s and up and we lived way out in the country (boonies by today’s standards).
I always had a “healthy” respect for guns. Never touch. It wasn’t a question or a request.
My kids grewup with guns. Never loaded but they were in the house and they knew what they were and what they could do. They were taught never to touch. Not a request.
I don’t think it is wrong to “teach” a child about guns. That the cartoons are not real life. “If you shoot someone they don’t always come back to life.” That was the first thing my kids were taught before they could even touch a gun.
Just be sure to give the kids a good healthy respect of guns.
By Rhiannon on Sep 7, 2007
Along long time ago when my daughter was young like yours, I would teach the kids that guns, like the knives in the kitchen were tools that were dangerous.
I would tell them that a gun was useless if it was not loaded, and to ALWAYS treat it like its loaded until you prove otherwise,
after the divorce and decades later we were talking about guns and she said that a gun is always loaded until she checks it.
She didn’t remember me teaching her that.
She was so young that she didn’t remember where the lesson came from, but she remembered the lesson.
By thundermike on Sep 7, 2007
thundermike - Not that Aimee and I are at each other’s throats on this, but when I read the start to your second paragraph, I choked on my coffee: “after the divorce…” Was that an accidental ha ha or a deliberate one?
Solstice - Yep, lots of folk think 5 or 6 is a better age. Others think that is nuts. My thinking is I didnt decide the age, Aubreyahna did. Remember that nurf gun? Aubreyahna asked for it. No clue where she got the idea that guns are fun. Mine are in a lock box and I -think- she may have seen me holster one once. I am not even sure about that.
My mother says she once decided she was not going to purchase toy guns for me and my brother. So we made guns out out everything and played away. Somehow it must be built into, uh Lazy Town, subliminaly. It has to be subliminal because I watch all of her TV shows… no guns. No idea where she gets it.
Rhiannon - Yep, times they are a changing. When I was in grade school, all the boys had a pocket knife in their pocket or a lock back on their belt when they went to school. Nobody ever thought a thing about it (South Bend, IN). Sure we cut ourselves now and then. Accidents happen when ya whittle. Now a kid can get arrested for bringing plastic safty scissors to school. Yep, was in the news. It happened.
I think the child gun problem in this country is kin to the teen alcohol problem in this country. In Germany, where alcohol is part of a childs life, there seems to be less of a drinking problem amoung teens.
So I figure if Aimee wont let Aubrey and I go hit the bars, we gotta have something to do.
By A.J. Drew on Sep 7, 2007
Kind of like sex. Demystify it and the kids are not all that interested.
I was allowed “drinks” at home and sometimes when we were out I could have some of my parents. When I became a teen and driving I was not interested in drinking to have fun. I had other ways like the movies (yes we sat there and really watched them!)
Yep Boys had knives. You were made fun of if you didn’t have one. We even had real sciorros at school!!!! (yep in the dark ages)
When my son and daughter were young their father and I sat down and had a talk with them about guns’ kives, and anything else in that range. They were taught about guns, how they kill, how one should never point a gun unless you really mean to kill what your pointing at. They were also taught that they were never to touch them without an adult (Mom or Dad) with them not even to show to their friends.
I think it all comes down to teaching the kids right from wrong. Today most are not taught what will happen.
My son took a gun safty course before he was allowed to handle a gun. My daughter was never really interested.
As a Mom I do think 3 is a bit young to be teaching her how to shoot. BUT it is never too young to teach the dangers involved!!
By Rhiannon on Sep 7, 2007
Kind of like sex in the way that guns, alcohol, and sex are all three deadly. Kind of like sex in that there is an age of maturity where a child is capable of participating in such. But not kind of like sex the idea that there is a set age for all three.
I think you will agree that while I might joke about my children not having sex until they are in their 50s (and I am dead), that 21 (the legal age to own a gun or drink in this country) seems a wee bit old for the age at which a person can legaly have sex.
Then again, I am still trying to wrap my mind around the whole 17 year old can join the military, be issued a machine gun, travel to the Middle East and kill people. But he can not come back to this country and raise a toast to this country with anything more than milk.
By A.J. Drew on Sep 7, 2007
As long as she has total supervision…3 is rather young to have a bb gun..My son did not get 1 till he was 10 and even then I supervised him..I told “You DO Not shoot anything that walks, crawls or flys..” But they are never too young to teach about gun safety..be warned though.. those co2 cartridges pack a big punch..found that out when my sixteen yr old got his nose broken with a paint ball gun..by his aunt.(long story)
By gina on Sep 7, 2007
Gina - BB just means “Ball Beering”, however I dont think a 4 year old would be too young to use a .22 caliber weapon with his or her parent standing right there hovering.
Aubreyahna’s fun fires 6 mm bbs at a masimum velosity of 210 fps, not enough to raise much of a bump or do any damage unless hit in the eye. Of course that means eye protection.
Here is my thing. Parents have no problem handing their kids toy guns and letting them shoot each other. Why? Well they dont look much like guns. I think that practice must be tempered with instruction that there is a clear difference between a real gun and a toy gun.
No in so far as teachig them never to shoot somethign that walks, crawls or flys… Aubreyahna has unfortunatly discovered that death is permanant. So explaining to her that guns cause death is important, however I also think it is important to explain that sometimes a person must use a gun to kill.
Not something I think she should learn at age 3, but something she will have to understand eventually. So I do not intend on telling her now that she should never kill something or some one as it would make me a liar later.
For now it is fun with respect for guns. Target shooting and so on. However, at some point she will probably own her own and be able to use it to kill when killing is necessary. I will not inhibit that necessary developement at such a young age.
Instead, I am planning on a more NRA approach: “Always be sure of your targed and your backstop”, something I have not forgotten since my father provided range time and training at the local YMCA under NRA supervision.
Tomarrow I am putting a bumper sticker on her tricycle that says:
“Guns, Guts, and the Gods made this country great, lets keep all three.”
Note: Parts of this post were just silly to have fun with you.
By A.J. Drew on Sep 7, 2007
AJ,
What I mean isn’t that I cringe about teaching kids about guns at 3- I cringe at the idea of a 3yr old having a bb gun. It’s an age-appropriateness issue. Now- granted- I suppose one could hover over said child without blinking to make sure that they don’t do anything that can hurt themselves, others or the neighbors windows, but at the same time… 3 is young to trust even to that IMO. I agree that teaching them about guns and gun safety is imperative as soon as possible- however.
The concern I’d have is that she’s a tiny little girl and that kick back could hurt her, or something could happen with the mechanics of the thing and cause injury. An injury in a child that young/small is going to be more serious than one in a bigger/older child. THAT is the mom-cringing-in-the-corner response and reasoning.
By Solstice on Sep 7, 2007
Solstice - Tell ya what I am gonna do, let me shoot you in the booty with a 240 fps airsoft (plastic bb) gun. Or you can shoot me just about anywhere and you will probably realize how the low velosity models are just about nurf guns. In fact, Ano and I once hunted each other with fully automatic versions which I think were more like 300 fps (not sure).
The reason I choose air soft is because I cant come up with anything else which looks absolutly real, feels absolutly real, and knocks over a can.
The idea being to explain the difference between a real gun and a toy gun. Ok, there are real looking water guns, but its just not the same.
By A.J. Drew on Sep 7, 2007
ROFL! Ahhh, OK- see- I think ‘bb gun’ and I think of the sort of thing that breaks windows and hurts like hell.
I mean- in your original post you didn’t really explain that difference all that clearly for the bb-gun-clueless moms out here 
And no- you’re not shooting me in the booty with a bb gun… Even if it *wouldn’t* hurt! LOL!
By Solstice on Sep 8, 2007