Test your kids, ...I did !

[Brick House]

I have been teaching my kids since they were born, not to touch my guns under any circumstance. so my wife and I decided to test them. I unloaded my gun and left it on the dining room table holstered, and went upstairs, when my 10 year old came home from school, I yelled down the stairs and told her to bring me my gun. and to my delight she said NO DADDY, I"M NOT TOUCHING IT., I then said.. it's OK this time just run it up here. And she said NO DADDY YOU COME AND GET IT !! ...PASS later that day I did the same test with my 8 year old, and she was even more unwilling to touch my gun, she even got mad and yelled at me for trying to make her pick it up . we were really happy, since I let them shoot my guns at the range, I thought that might make them think it was OK to handle them. They enjoy shooting and tell me they want to get a hand gun when they turn 18, and I will make sure they know how to safely handle them before that time comes.

 

[samrothstein01]

Isn't asking them to touch the firearm counter productive? They should be allowed to when you consent.

 

[Brick House]

They know they are only allowed to touch them if I take them to a safe enviroment to shoot them, and if I am supervising them. remember, they are 8 and 10 years old, and are not able to safely handle a heavy .45 cal hand gun. as they get older I will give them more trust and responsibility, remember...Baby steps.

 

[ATM]

...I then said.. it's OK this time just run it up here.

Just curious... if they had very cautiously brought it to you still in the holster after this second request, how could you have corrected them?

 

[schafe]

I have been teaching my kids since they were born, not to touch my guns under any circumstance. so my wife and I decided to test them. I unloaded my gun and left it on the dining room table holstered, and went upstairs, when my 10 year old came home from school, I yelled down the stairs and told her to bring me my gun. and to my delight she said NO DADDY, I"M NOT TOUCHING IT., I then said.. it's OK this time just run it up here. And she said NO DADDY YOU COME AND GET IT !! ...PASS later that day I did the same test with my 8 year old, and she was even more unwilling to touch my gun, she even got mad and yelled at me for trying to make her pick it up . we were really happy, since I let them shoot my guns at the range, I thought that might make them think it was OK to handle them. They enjoy shooting and tell me they want to get a hand gun when they turn 18, and I will make sure they know how to safely handle them before that time comes.

So did you plan your response in advance, if one of them actually brought you your gun? Just curious what you had up your sleeve.

 

[samrothstein01]

I understand age and baby steps. My oldest is only 4, and he certainly knows not to touch. PERIOD. The only exception to that rule is if he asks me and I give consent or I volunteer consent. I am the gatekeeper and permission giver. If I asked him to touch it, i.e., bring it to me, that would be consent since I am the authority. As others have mentioned, what is the response if they did bring it to you. I can tell you that their response is going to be "But you told me too." So now they are being encouraged to not listen to your directives regarding firearm handling? That might be confusing and reduce the validity or power of all of the safety lessons you had previously discussed.

From my perspective that just sends mixed signals and is employing trickery to reinforce safety based on potential negative behavior.

But, regardless in the differences of technique, I absolutely give you props for the effort of encouraging and teaching firearm safety to the kids. It is an absolute and necessary responsibility of firearm owning parents.

 

[grimor]

I teach my son (5yo) to not touch guns without permission, and the proper way to handle them. I will often have him hand me my pistol (still in the holster) so he gets comfortable with it and I can make sure he is handling it correctly. At this age I wouldn't of asked him to bring it to me unless I was in the same room and able to see him the whole time. No, hey go get daddy's gun off the table in the kitchen or anything.

My son also knows to do what I ask him to do. Even if I had told him to not touch them in the past, and I told him to go get it now, he would do it. That's why I don't test him and tell him to do things he shouldn't do.

 

[kludge]

Since we should treat all gun as if they are loaded, or "all guns are always loaded", no, I don't ever do this kind of test.

 

[IndianaResident]

If life were a bad sitcom...

Bad guy in the house, and only your child can get it and give it to you...but won't, no matter what you say.

At least they passed though, always a win.

 

[Mad Anthony Wayne]

I don't know about testing them, but if that made you feel better then I'm glad they responded like you'd hoped. My kids know better than to touch my guns as well. Although my 18 year old shoots as well as I do.

 

[Brick House]

I would not have been angry with them had they brought it to me since I told them to, but at that age I would rather them be aware that they dont have the skills to handle a gun safely. If there was a BG situation, and they knew I was in trouble they are aware enough to know to bring it to me, as we have discussed such situations. I just dont want them to think that just because I allow them to shoot my guns at the range, that it is ok for them to handle them whenever they want. I knew there would be ALOT of different opinions on this topic, and was curious to see how others handled the firearm discussion with their children.

 

[.40caltrucker]

Great idea and good job teaching them this. I teach them to never touch a gun unless I'm there and give permission but never considered this approach.

I bet mine wont touch it until I tell them to bring it to me. We'll see I'll try it when I get home without any warning and see if they pass or fail.

 

[grimor]

If there was a BG situation, and they knew I was in trouble they are aware enough to know to bring it to me, as we have discussed such situations.

At 10 I would like to think if it was a BG situation, someone obviously kicking in the door, etc... my kid would know enough to grab the gun and put a round in em if I wasn't right there.

 

[samrothstein01]

(SNIP)

...but at that age I would rather them be aware that they dont have the skills to handle a gun safely. If there was a BG situation, and they knew I was in trouble they are aware enough to know to bring it to me, as we have discussed such situations...

So you want the children to be aware that they do not posess the skills necessary to safely handle a firearm...unless their is a BG breaking in...and then they are suddenly qualified to do so???

And although you have discussed the BG situation with them many times, you are now depending on a childs judgement to make a sound decision of whether or not to follow your directives (or disobey them) based on situational awareness, i.e., obey me when I tell you to bring me my gun if a bad guy is breaking in, but disobey me if I am upstairs just asking for it. How do they know when and when not to obey your directives? How did they know that during your "test" someone wasn't hiding in a closet and now has you at gunpoint upstairs so now is the time to obey.

Unforunately, children (usually younger children) who don't posess the ability to safely handle a firearm also do not posess the ability to use discretion and make sound judgements. Therefore rules need to be simple and easy to follow, but most importantly...consistent.

 

[2aussies]

I remember when our son was little and I still had glass front gun cases he would go in and just stare at them. That's when I decided to take away the allure of them by opening all the cases and letting him touch and ask question. In doing this told him about when he could and could not touch the guns. Enrolled him in the Indiana Training class. Since then him and I hot burnt a lot of powder together.

 

[mainjet]

I my opinion planting it there and then asking repeatedly for them to bring it to you is not the best way to train them. But they are your kids.

After they refused the 1st time then that may have been the right time to praise the heck out of them for doing the right thing. But then telling them it was okay, go ahead and do it, seems like a really bad way to handle it even if it turns out the way you hope it would.

You wouldn't train a dog this way (sorry to equate the two). You wouldn't tell a dog to "go get it"! Then when he starts to run you say "NO"! The dog wouldn't know what to do.

Again IMHO - I just teach my kids not to touch it, how to handle it properly when they are allowed to touch it, always treat it as if it's loaded, don't point it unless you want something dead, then I lock them up with trigger locks anyway.

It seems like if you wanted to run this test it may have been better to just leave it laying there with some indicator for you that shows if it's been moved. Did your kids scold you for leaving a firearm out where kids can easily access it? kind of seems like you taught them some good things along with some bad things. But you are teaching them and I say good for you.

 

[usaguy2006]

I think this was a great experiment. I can see where you guys are coming from but then again... What situation would require a child to run and grab your gun for you if a BG was near by.. I mean we can be hypothetical all day LOL I keep my loaded gun high out of the reach of my daughter anyhow.. Basically if the bad guy gets in the house and gets dad, its pretty much over for everyone unfortunately. This is why i lock my doors and am always alert ETC... All in all good test man.. When i do mine i will probably just watch from a far and see if she touches it or messes with it on her own. I would say the discipline your kids have with guns is above average.. A lot of kids would have thought "OOOOO daddy wants me to grab his gun, cool!!" yours were above that.

 

[Srtsi4wd]

The real test would be to have the child "think" that there is no one around and the firearm is available. If you REALLY want to find out, you will have to make them think they can get away with touching or moving it and you won't find out. Thats the only way you will know for sure. If they leave it alone, +1. If not, now you know you have more work to do.

I would be careful in making gun avoidance behavior too strong. Like others have mentioned, a high stress situation may cause the "don't touch, EVER!" response to overpower any rational thoughts about the immediate need to handle the firearm.

Respect for the firearm is more important and more effective then fear of the firearm, IMHO.

 

[jtb]

Alot depends on the maturity of the child, by the age of ten my boy had been hunting with me for two years, his older sister three years. Both were responsible enough that they were allowed to shoot on our range as long as one of the parents were outside. They were allowed to shoot handguns if we were right at the bench with them.

Both also knew where the ammo was for the "house" 12 ga. and how to use it by that time. I belive proper training and endless coaching paid off. Never had a barrel wonder or an unintetional discharge, both went on to shoot competitively in college.

 

[Birdstrike]

Sounds like you have some great kids, Brick House! And they are lucky to have such an involved father. Keep up the good work. My two are still very young but I will follow your lead soon.