[coltlin]

Here is the clip from ABC News. If the link doesn't work, try searching the internet for "20/20 classic" and "kids and guns"

The clip is to demonstrate how teaching the children to avoid firearms along is insufficient safety/security measure. However they used an experiment which I feel is set up for the children to fail. To begin with, in what realistic scenario is a child likely to find a real handgun in hidden in a pile of toys? Children are naturally going to assume what is in the bin or playroom contains only toys for them to play with and those kids are certainly too young to recognize a real handgun (I'm myself a bit of a firearms fanatic starting from really young age, but it wasn't until around high school did I started to learn how to recognize the real things).

And then during the debriefing, they questioned the boys in the presence of their parent with the camera shoved in their face. If the camera did not tip them off, the presence of the parents would have hinted certain consequence if they weren't careful with their answer.

 

[TommyGunn]

It's a "lamestream" media TV show.
The point of finding real firearms in piles of toys is good. There may be a few drug-addled parents who might somehow manage to keep their guns in a pile of kids' toys ... but parents this irresponsible and befuddled will always be a danger to kids no matter whether they have guns or not. Some 70% of child abuse cases involve drugs .... and when those become involved, other problems happen!
No responsible adult would keep a gun with toys!
It's always been my belief that when a kid is too young to employ proper judgement, firearms should be kept locked up, NOT hidden under pillows or other "cute" places. If you are putting child locks on kitchen cabinets so Rugrat Junior won't drink the Drano, the gun needs to be locked up.
Later, when kids are mature, they can be taught what guns are, and what they can do, and if one has a .22 or other small gun, possibly can -- under adult supervision -- fire some rounds. I think I was maybe 11 or 12 when I took riflery courses under Police Athletic League supervision in the range the local precinct house used.
It is the parents' responsibility to judge how mature and capable their kids are. Some kids will be mature at an older age ... and I suspect their are adults out there who will NEVER be mature enough to handle firearms.
And ... remember what President Reagan said; "Trust, but Verify."

Teaching kids to "avoid firearms" may have its applications. But I think that the curiousity of kids should be fulfilled. This can and should be done under supervision, and satisfying that curiousity can go very far in "gunproofing" kids. Keeping guns completly away from them will only make them a "forbidden" item and increase their curiousity, and there's where the problems begin. They WILL find the .38 revolver under Dad's pillow. If their questions about it are answered, they are less likely to get into trouble with it.
IMHO. Your mileage may vary.

 

[J.D. Langendorph]

I recognized the difference between toys and real firearms when I was about 4 yrs. old. And we had them unsecured around the house and the houses of most of my neighborhood friends. My friend had an SAA Colt in 44 cal. in his bedroom on the book-shelf with the fish tank and the butterfly collection, when we were about 12.

Another friend's house, the SAA Colt 45 cal. was in the kitchen drawer, next to the back door, along with a box of ammo.

Another's dad kept the rifles in the clothes closet in the bedroom. Across the street, the shotguns and rifles were rack mounted on the wall in the den.

This was circa 1956 to until I went into the military in 1966.

 

[guntotin_fool]

I grew up with a shotgun behind the front door and a .22 at the backdoor. We never dared touch them because mom would beat our heads mushy with her wooden spoon.

 

[ExSarge]

My gun case was in my youngest son's bedroom only because of space (he had a larger room) and had drawers full of ammunition. My .45 was in my bedside table drawer, loaded. Neither son ever touched a gun, rifle or shotgun unless we were going hunting. Yes, the case was open and could not be locked because I made it in wood shop when I was in high school.

At a very young age both sons saw me "eradicate" unwanted varmits, critters and pests so they knew how a gun was to be handled and what it could do.

Where oh where is the common sense that was instilled in me when I was growing up and which I passed on to my sons? My dad taught me how to handle a firearm at the age of 9 and we went out shooting whenever the weekend weather would permit it. I carried a .22 into the woods alone at the age of 12 along with one or two other friends and most of the summer, hunted woodchuck in the neighboring farmers pastures.

I think todays parents are way to negligent in raising their children and depend on others to teach them things (either right or wrong).

Rant over......

 

[BobMac]

I keep 3 guns in my bed-side table, all loaded and ready to be used. We have no kids at home. (empty nest) 8) When our grandkids visit they are locked up, either in my gun safe or in a pistol case. I taught my kids to respect guns at a young age as I was taught by my dad.

Story! One night my wife and I went to a movie. Came home after and found 9yo daughter sitting in the den with my .45 ACP, cocked and locked, in her lap. Asked her why. She said she saw someone prowling about outside (we had a full acre of ground). When? Early. See him since? No. OK, put it away. She dropped the mag, racked the slide to clear and put the weapon away.

She and my two boys had been shooting my guns since she was 6. :thumbsup: She now 52 and the boys are close to 60. Training and responsibility shows.

BobMac

 

[ExSarge]

Looks like you were instilled with some of that common sense BobMac.

Love the story about your daughter. Good for her!!!!!

 

[BobMac]

Thanks for them kind words, Larry. Yeah my dad wasn't much for firearms but he did tell me and show me what they can do.

I also got to shoot the JR NRA rifle courses in summer camp. Thinkl I've still got the certificates somwhere.

BTW, you ever get the .303's I sent you? Hope so.

BobMac

 

[HankB]

I had access to guns at an early age - my first BB gun at around 4, my first .22 at 7.

I had NO "formal" firearms safety courses, I had something better: Dad. Had I taken one on my own, not only would I have been scolded, even worse, the guns would have been taken away. And I didn't want that; I was taught that actions had consequences at an early age.

I had no problem distinguishing between play (toy) guns and real ones, and it never occured to me to use them for something nefarious at school or elsewhere; it just wasn't in my mindset. (I will say, in hindsight, that a burglar would not have fared well with me in the house!)

As for "news" stories on kids and guns . . . when you have a LOT of video to work with, and a LOT of opportunity to edit and splice . . . you can make Mother Theresa look worse than Simon Legree. So I don't put a lot of stock in news reports like this . . . though I find it infuriating that these slobs can put out their propaganda and have it remain unanswered.

 

[ExSarge]

Yea, I got the stuff BobMac. Thanks again..