Got made by a 3 year old!

[JXONE]

Not sure where this would fit, but I need some advice I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter and she is smarter then I thought. I thought I was good at hiding my guns from her. She goes to daycare and her teacher told us that she told her that I have guns and I go and shoot them. Damn, Got made! So not sure what to do at this point. I think she is to young to understand safety and even looking at one. So what have you fathers done. And how?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Jackle1886]

I grew up with guns in the house. My father is a hunter of deer, turkey, and rabbit mostly. Guns were just a part of my life. If I wanted to know about them, see them, anything it was always "sure." And I'd sit on Dad's lap, and we would do a safety check to make sure they were empty, then I could fondle and hold all I wanted. Of course it was always pointed in a safe direction.

Guns were never taboo, and I had no reason to go sneaking behind my parents back to get a look at them, since I would whenever I asked. That's what worked for me and my parents.

3 1/2, I betcha she'll understand more than you think ;)

[Barren]

We've had guns every since I can remember. My grandad and dad and uncles and grand uncles and aunts and grand aunts and moms and grand moms, everyone shot. They'd take the guns to the backyard and shoot. It was so natural that I thought everyone had guns at home. Same thing with my kids. Its never too early to teach a child safety.

[retsupt99]

The direct approach...don't hide them from her, kids are much smarter than you think.
I would use a safe, but let her see your 'tools'. A gun, a saw, a drill...they are all tools.
Start young to erase the curousity, and in time, let her shoot...always stress safety.
The little ones are like sponges and will follow rules you make about tools.

Stay armed...educate them when young...stay safe!

[Janq]

My response would have been yes, I do own guns which I do use for all manner of application including going to the range to _train_ (not just shoot).

As to your daughter why hide them?
What good is that doing for her or for you?

Keeping firearms in your home as _secured_ is not akin to hiding them.
My kids know exactly where my guns are located as in the house. They see me arm, disarm, carry and work on my guns to maintain them. Same as they do for my pocket and kitchen knives (sharpening) or for that matter the car and lawnmower.
The guns, and ammunition, are though very well secured and the kids have NO ACCESS to them directly in the sense of handling when I am not around.
One is not the other.

Also in conversation with my kids and folk I never talk about 'shooting'.
I go to places including a range to either train, compete or hunt. Period.

- Janq

[OldVet]

My kids were never a problem. The daughter never showed the slightest interest, and I took the boy out often to shoot. Hiding weapons is a bad idea. Teach them to respect the firearms, and then only under supervision.

Guns are not dangerous, although I still have a hard time convincing my daughter that cockroaches aren't!

[MinistrMalic]

Teach her all about them. My 4-year old uses a toothbrush on my springs in my XD all the time, and helps me wipe them down when I clean guns. She can hold anything in the house and knows what they are for. IMO the best policy is education and familiarity rather than hiding them. In my house the guns are about as exciting as the mop, but just like the chemicals under the sink they are known to be dangerous and need adult supervision.

[pax]

I think she is to young to understand safety and evening looking at one. So what have you fathers done. And how?

I'm not a father, but a mom. But my husband and I have five sons (currently ages 14, 15, 16, 18, and 20), and their firearms education has largely been my responsibility since they were very young.

A few thoughts...

First, your daughter really isn't too young to begin learning gun safety. In fact, if my own kids are anything to go by, she is just the right age! That is, she is young enough to believe what you tell her, old enough to remember what you say, and young enough that she still believes her parents know everything. Enjoy that status while it lasts! In a few short years that will change, and suddenly you'll be the stupidest person in the world, and everything you do will be horribly embarrassing. Take heart, if you both live long enough, eventually you'll become smart again. But right now, in her pre-school years, you have an excellent window of opportunity to build in some important beliefs and attitudes about gun safety. Don't throw that window away. Use it!

Of course you know your child best and know what she is ready for, and I'm not trying to take away from that. I'm just saying that there is a lot of gun-safety education that can and should take place before the child is ever ready to visit the range with you. You're probably right that at 3 1/2, your daughter is too young to visit the range. But she's obviously bright -- and any child bright enough to tell her teachers and playmates about the guns in your home is certainly bright enough to learn what to do if/when she sees a gun: "If you see a gun: Stop. Don't touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult."

Here's a link to a long-ish article I wrote awhile back explaining where to go from there -- AND how to dramatically improve the odds that your child would actually leave the area and tell an adult if she came across a firearm: Cornered Cat - The First Lesson (Kids and Gun Safety)

It often gives parents (moms especially) the willies to think about deliberately showing a firearm to a toddler. Most would rather rely entirely on keeping the guns locked up. And I'll agree that the guns in any home with children definitely should be locked up, or remain securely on the hip of a responsible adult.

However, at 3 1/2, your daughter's world is rapidly expanding. She probably has playdates in friends' houses. She might visit a babysitter or occasionally stay with relatives. Realistically, not everyone has the same commitment to locking firearms up as you & your wife probably do. Some people think it's okay to leave guns in a nightstand drawer, or under a bed. Some are forgetful and leave the safe door open or unlocked. And some simply don't think about it at all until tragedy strikes. Keeping your own home child-proof is important, but it isn't enough, because you simply can't child-proof your friends' houses. So as your child begins moving out into the larger world, that's when it becomes critical that you give her the tools to keep herself safe even if the adults make a mistake.

Please do go read the article. Discuss it with your wife, see if it makes sense to you both. Hopefully it will help you find a good plan that will work for your family.

Stay safe.

pax

[Mic]

Just like Christmas, if you hide em they will find em. Start to educate her now and stress safety, satisfy her curiosity and think about taking her to the range, maby pick up a 22 for her to shoot, let her grow up with guns like so many of us out there did.

In the mean time go buy a Lock box, safe or some thing to keep em in.

[Stevew]

Make sure she does not have access, unsupervised. My daughters were hunting with me by the time they were four. Make sure guns are locked up. Keep in mind kids have friends. Even if you are 100% sure that your child would not touch a gun unsupervised, always assume their friends will. The older they get the more friends they will have over. Some times you will not even be home. Many kids have been killed because someone picked up a gun at a friends house. Keep them locked up.

[JXONE]

WOW! Thanks for the advice I got alot to think about. My wife LOVES the "Eddie Eagle Rules". So she printed them out and posted them on the wall in her play area.

I do keep my guns in a safe, in my MAN cave (well MAN room lol).

I thankyou you all for helping me with this.

[Rugergirl]

I knew at a young age that Dad had a shotgun and rifle for hunting, I knew I was not to touch them without his supervision or to tell others about them. We went over the safety rules until I could recite them in my sleep.
At the age of 12 my aunt(Dad's sister) was murdered by her second husband. Dad decided that was the time for me to learn how to handle firearms, and my training began. I enjoyed shooting whatever was handed to me, but the handguns were my favorites and I was a natural with them. Range days were the days I looked forward too and even began to compete with myself each time we went.
Maybe it was the shock of what happened to my aunt that made me decide I would never be a victim or just part of my temperment but I've never had any type of fear of firearms. I still thank Dad for being a great teacher, and we still have family range trips every couple of weeks.

[retsupt99]

I'm not a father, but a mom. But my husband and I have five sons (currently ages 14, 15, 16, 18, and 20),
pax

I'm sorry to hear this...I'll add you to my DC prayer list...

[liljake82]

3 year olds are briliant aren't they? When my daughter was 3 she'd sit on my lap and (help) hold guns, and look through scopes. At 4 she cried because she couldn't go turkey hunting. Gun-proofing your kids is much more important than kid-proofing your guns.

[BugDude]

The direct approach...don't hide them from her, kids are much smarter than you think.
I would use a safe, but let her see your 'tools'. A gun, a saw, a drill...they are all tools.
Start young to erase the curousity, and in time, let her shoot...always stress safety.
The little ones are like sponges and will follow rules you make about tools.

Stay armed...educate them when young...stay safe!

Absolutely!!! Honesty and matter-of-factness. +1 BUY A SAFE!!

I grew up with guns in the house. My father is a hunter of deer, turkey, and rabbit mostly. Guns were just a part of my life. If I wanted to know about them, see them, anything it was always "sure." And I'd sit on Dad's lap, and we would do a safety check to make sure they were empty, then I could fondle and hold all I wanted. Of course it was always pointed in a safe direction.

Guns were never taboo, and I had no reason to go sneaking behind my parents back to get a look at them, since I would whenever I asked. That's what worked for me and my parents.

3 1/2, I betcha she'll understand more than you think ;)

Same for me. Guns were a fact of life like my Dad's tools. They weren't laying around the house or anything, and my Dad didn't carry much but I do recall some occasions. He gave me guns growing up (started with BB guns, then 22s, etc.). He taught me respect for firearms, safety, and responsibility.

My daughter is now 8. When she started asking about hunting and guns (at 6), I explained gun safety, responsibility, and even took her shooting. She shot 22 handguns and rifles (with me basically holding the weapon kneeled down) and she got to see me fire some of my larger caliber weapons. We used safety gear. All of my firearms stay in the safe except my CCW. I explained to her to never touch a gun without me present and to tell me if she ever saw one somewhere. No secrets, no mystery. She knows if she wants to see one, I will show it to her safely and supervised. If she wants to shoot one, we will go shoot. If she has a question, she knows I will answer it honestly (she's smarter than me, so no sense in trying to pull her leg). Since taking that approach, she really hasn't shown much interest. I think the loud noise and recoil made her see for herself what they are about...and she hates loud noises. I took her and my nephew to shoot last year and he shot a few times. I asked her if she wanted to shoot any and she said, "No, I've shot them before." Teach them the facts, reasons, rationale, laws, safety, etc. and take the taboo, mystery, mystique, curiosity out of the equation. My wife saw this for herself, and she doesn't want anything to do with guns but appreciated the need and effect of this approach and supports it.