| Let me be controversial for a moment. Guns will hold | | | | counteracted by the proper education. Saying "NO" is |
| no mystery to my children. In this world of | | | | not enough. |
| nay-sayers, gun banners, and non-informed gun | | | | I have owned, shot, and hunted with firearms since I |
| haters, such a statement is bound to raise questions | | | | was 5 years old, learning my safe handling practices |
| as to my values and questions as my ability to | | | | and proper firearms use from the biggest influences |
| properly raise my children. For those who | | | | in my life, my parents. I have taken guns to school |
| automatically think I am a bad father for teaching my | | | | with me which remained safely in my car awaiting my |
| 2 year old how to properly handle a firearm, I have | | | | arrival and consequent start of the evening hunts for |
| this simple response. Naivety is not a defense or a | | | | pheasant, chucker, and Hungarian partridge. I never |
| strategy. | | | | opened fire on my school mates, committed murder, |
| I find it humorous in the political atmosphere where | | | | or began having psychopathic fantasies because of it. |
| education on everything from sex to diversity is | | | | I did however see plenty of other kids who had not |
| touted as the cure all that shooting and firearms | | | | received the proper training handling guns in a most |
| education is considered taboo. It seems when it | | | | reckless manner and it was only due to the proper |
| comes to firearms, some parents are content to say | | | | instruction I received from my parents that I was |
| "they are bad" and then consider the matter closed. | | | | able to recognize the danger and correct it or leave |
| This is can be a tragic error in the development of a | | | | the area. |
| young mind. Curiosity is always present and is a | | | | Sam is 2 years old this year and into everything. I |
| profoundly driving force which is not easily satisfied | | | | have my guns secured in a vault and lock box and |
| or appeased. The curiosity for education on firearms | | | | take care to make sure they are secured. I have |
| is also not so easily swept aside. By not taking the | | | | already begun his training on firearms, teaching him |
| initiative to educate, we as parents have in essence | | | | not handle firearms at this point in time. He does |
| allowed a clean slate for anyone else to fill the | | | | have a small training rifle which I have introduced him |
| knowledge vacuum we have created in the of our | | | | to and will begin the proper handling techniques soon. |
| children. The education on firearms occurs whether | | | | My girls are still infants and Daddy could not resist |
| we choose to be involved or not. Television portrays | | | | buying them a pair of Cricket 22 Youth rifles with |
| firearms almost hourly and as a matter of | | | | Pink Stocks. They will also receive the proper |
| observation, hardly ever in compliance with safe | | | | instruction when the time is right. I do not intend by |
| handling techniques and rarely ever with the | | | | any means to try and shelter my kids from |
| ramifications of improperly using a firearm. Video | | | | perceived dangers but to educate them about the |
| games are also streaming the use of guns into the | | | | responsibilities involved with firearms in an effort to |
| minds of our children at the speed of Broadband. As | | | | help them avoid the dangers of irresponsible gun |
| the games become more violent they create a | | | | ownership and us. I also intend for it to be some of |
| perception and glory of firearms which can only be | | | | the best times my family and I can share together. |