Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The OP acts as though using a "firearm" is a right of passage for most American kids. Like learning to ride a bike.
There are many places in the US - and no, not only in cities - where no one has guns or hunts.
We enjoy nature in other ways.
You would also be shocked at how infrequently guns are mentioned or thought about. We don't think about obtaining them, and we are not thinking about taking them away, either.
When did your kid get his first golf club or tennis racket? No we don't ask that either.
Guns - or "firearms" as gun people call them, just do not figure in our lives.
And, we like it this way.
In the state of michigan it is a right of passage for alot of kids. They even give openong day of deer season off of schools in the northern part of the state. Alot of the kids in my school (metro detroit suburbs) also had families full of hunters and were taught to shoot. hunting season here is damn near a holiday. I dont expext it to be the same way everywhere else, nor did.I ever say it was. I find it odd that so many people would take offense.to a simple question.
People should be a lil more open minded. My son has never showed interest in golf or tennis so I have never bought that stuff for him. He has showed interest in hocky so I did buy him everything he needed for that. I try to expand on the things my son takes interest in such as hocky,firearms and a giant list of other things. He likes gun so much he was willing to spend $160 of his own hard earned money of his pistol. If he chooses to stop showing interest, he is free to do so. He will still have the knowledge of how to treat and handle a firearm which is the most valuable thing he can take from the experience. Its.one less thing I have to worry about.
In the state of michigan it is a right of passage for alot of kids. They even give openong day of deer season off of schools in the northern part of the state. Alot of the kids in my school (metro detroit suburbs) also had families full of hunters and were taught to shoot. hunting season here is damn near a holiday. I dont expext it to be the same way everywhere else, nor did.I ever say it was. I find it odd that so many people would take offense.to a simple question.
People should be a lil more open minded. My son has never showed interest in golf or tennis so I have never bought that stuff for him. He has showed interest in hocky so I did buy him everything he needed for that. I try to expand on the things my son takes interest in such as hocky,firearms and a giant list of other things. He likes gun so much he was willing to spend $160 of his own hard earned money of his pistol. If he chooses to stop showing interest, he is free to do so. He will still have the knowledge of how to treat and handle a firearm which is the most valuable thing he can take from the experience. Its.one less thing I have to worry about.
Rural upstate NY is the same. However, I know people in Grosse Point., Ann Arbor and Charlavoix (sp) who are not entrenched in the culture of guns.
Most of Pennsylvania, aside from the Philadelphia suburbs is gun country. We lived there for a couple of years. Our children had the first day of deer season off from school.
I am not opposed to responsible people owning guns, by the way.
I am very aware that for approximately 30% of Americans, (no, I am not including criminals) that guns and gun culture are the norm. People who don't own guns are regarded with suspicion and hostility.
Having grown up in an area where guns were rare, this is strange to me. My father, grandfather, uncles, brother, and neighbors never gave guns a thought, much less used them. There was not much - or almost any crime. And hunting was not a popular hobby. It was rare.
After living in PA, I could never, ever live in an area with a prominent "Gun Culture".
My children's gun safety was limited to what was appropriate to our area, and echoed by others on this thread - if you see an unlocked gun at the home of a friend, leave the house and call home.
In the state of michigan it is a right of passage for alot of kids. They even give openong day of deer season off of schools in the northern part of the state. Alot of the kids in my school (metro detroit suburbs) also had families full of hunters and were taught to shoot. hunting season here is damn near a holiday. I dont expext it to be the same way everywhere else, nor did.I ever say it was. I find it odd that so many people would take offense.to a simple question.
People should be a lil more open minded. My son has never showed interest in golf or tennis so I have never bought that stuff for him. He has showed interest in hocky so I did buy him everything he needed for that. I try to expand on the things my son takes interest in such as hocky,firearms and a giant list of other things. He likes gun so much he was willing to spend $160 of his own hard earned money of his pistol. If he chooses to stop showing interest, he is free to do so. He will still have the knowledge of how to treat and handle a firearm which is the most valuable thing he can take from the experience. Its.one less thing I have to worry about.
As I said before, I know hunters provide a necessary function for the rest of us, by controlling the population of certain wildlife. And the hunters I know either eat what they kill, or donate the meat to food pantries. We need hunters at this point.
But why does your son need a pistol? Handguns aren't used for hunting. Is it strictly for target shooting?
When my kids were young, handguns were rare. They were able to strap on a holster and a pair of shiny silver guns to play cowboys and Indians. I would never take that risk today, too many people would assume the guns are real.
In this day and age can't believe a parent would even consider it a gift! With many of the irresponsible parents raising kids and the kids themselves BB guns are dangerous. Friend of mine has a hearing loss in an ear due to a mishap. Have seen small animals struggle to die from a shot. Not every dad is like you sir but don't let your kid in charge of any weapon without you until 21. Must be ego involved with this.
Last edited by luv my dayton; 07-13-2015 at 09:12 AM..
Reason: add on
My son had no interest in guns as a child but he would not have had one if he did unless he was involved in hunting with a relative which didn't interest him either. He did join military as an adult.
Never. One son got a pistol when he was 18, because he lived in a rough section of town when he was in college and the other has shown absolutely no interest in guns.
My wife took some of her gal pals to Ladies Day at the Range in Cherry Ridge, NJ. None of her friends or sister had ever fired a gun but each station had instructors to show them safety, proper handling, the works.
She said they had a ball! Shot all types of guns during the day and went to Happy Hour afterwards. Really took the mystique out of firearms and kept the emotion out of their sons wanting to do paintball, Airsoft, etc.
What caused us more angst was when my son bought his first car at 16 and earned his provisional license at 17 (minimum age).
when my son was about 5 he got his first bb gun. had to cut the stock so he could handle it. Once he turned 8 I got him a 410 single shot, shot gun and a single shot cricket 22 rifle so we could hunt squirrels.
I have taught him gun safety ever since he was able to comprehend. now at age 11 he knows fully what to do when ever he handles a gun to make sure its safe and unloaded. he automatically checks any firearm he is handed and knows not to touch unattended guns like he may find at another persons house. I think a trained and informed child is much safer than one that has been sheltered from guns n things.
For my sons 11th birthday he wanted a browning 22cal 1911 so I cover $500 and he paid the remaining $160. I do believe you have to judge how responsible a child is but most children can learn gun safty. just the other weekend we wennt through about 1000 rounds to break in his new 22 hand gun.
So what are your thoughts and ages you let your child use guns if you have?
Have you taught him how to use hand grenades yet?
The 2nd Amendment covers arms, its not limited to firearms. Better get on that.
I grew up with shotguns and hunting rifles in my closet. My dad had so many that he needed to store them there. I was taught to leave them alone and I did. I was given a cork gun when I was about 8. Played with it halfheartedly to make my dad happy. Shot leaves on trees and cans that I set up in the yard.
Did a lot of archery... shot hay bails, etc.
Was taught to use a pistol when I was about 12. (My dad got it as a "gift" for my mom. He probably should have thought that through a bit more!)
I've never shot an animal in my life. It would break my heart to do so, although I grew up in a rural, hunting community. I never quite fit in. I'd cry when I saw the deer carcasses hanging from silos.
My son is vegan, has never even held a firearm as far as I know. (He's 26 now.)
And I had an orphan squirrel as a pet as a child, so I'm probably not a good one to talk to about shooting squirrels.
To answer your question, however, like I said, my "child" is 26 now and has never expressed interest in firearms, so I'm not sure when a good time to "let" him start using firearms would be! Ha!
But I did learn at a young age and don't regret having learned about firearms. I'd rather know about them than to be frightened when I see one. The more ya know and all that happy crappy...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
