A bit of how to raise kids from a 23 year old kid

[Hog huntin Harry]

I think some good parenting would be instead of buying your 6 year old a tablet, buy em a cricket .22lr

Don't buy your 12 year old an iPhone for they're birthday, buy em a Winchester model 94

Don't buy your kid a video game, buy em a couple boxes of ammo

If little Billy wants an Xbox git him a remmy 700

If little Milly wants a trendy Samsung get her a trendy 223

Disclaimer: I don't advocate for the illegal purchase of firearms for minors

Y'all know how big govt is so I had to add that last tid bit.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

IDK what's best for kids. I hope to be a good father who prepares his children for the world but who knows?

Pops got us all 22's when we earned the privilege (no small feat and we took it very seriously).

20 guage shotguns?... When we showed we could be responsible with the 22's.

I guess I agree with OP to a point... Outdoor education is far better for kids than video games or other outlets to virtual gratification, but IME, there is no hard and fast rules for raising children to be adults.

I learned more about how to be a man from spending time with my father and other father figures doing what they knew or liked to do.

Sometimes we rode horses and worked cattle on the ranch, sometimes we built fence, worked on cars, went camping, fishing or backpacking...

Many times it was shooting guns.

And I'm better for it.

 

[Hog huntin Harry]

IDK what's best for kids. I hope to be a good father who prepares his children for the world but who knows?

Pops got us all 22's when we earned the privilege (no small feat and we took it very seriously).

20 guage shotguns?... When we showed we could be responsible with the 22's.

I guess I agree with OP to a point... Outdoor education is far better for kids than video games or other outlets to virtual gratification, but IME, there is no hard and fast rules for raising children to be adults.

I learned more about how to be a man from spending time with my father and other father figures doing what they knew or liked to do.

Sometimes we rode horses and worked cattle on the ranch, sometimes we built fence, worked on cars, went camping, fishing or backpacking...

Many times it was shooting guns.

And I'm better for it.

That's how kids are supposed to be raised, it's saddening to see kids playing on their phones at the restaurant instead of talking to their siblings and parents.

Imo children should not have phones or any electronics till they're living on their own.

 

[Hog huntin Harry]

Kids don't get outside enough, they don't respect their parents, they're just a bunch of spoiled brats.

I know there are lots of kids raised right, but lots aren't. It's not even really about firearms though they are a perfect outlet.

 

[ZeeM]

I agree with the sentiment here to a point. My son chose a pellet gun because he wasn't getting an XBox. I hope we doing the right thing by introducing him to guns at an early age and drilling safety into his head.

My daughter hates guns, but still loves her bike and the outdoors in general.

 

[LoonWulf]

The problem isnt the video games, or tablets, or phones. The problem is that many parents arent interested, or dont have enough time/energy for their kids, and dont pay enough attention. Give em guns and it wont be any better. Respect is earned not a right, you dont put the time an energy in....really hard to earn it.

Admittedly I was guilty of that a time or two since my kids were born.
For most of 2018 and all of 2019 I worked on the other side of the island, and drove every day. 2.5 hours commute started work at 10, got off at 6 (usually had 50+hour weeks), came home and my wife went to work. She came home and i slept for 3 or so hours then did it again.

I was probably only 1/2 there by the middle of the week, and more often than not the kids were watching ME by Friday.

For a good portion of each day they watched tv, or played with my phone. good? bad? dunno, that was simply how life worked.

When we did stuff like go to the park, go wander around the store, go to the range (which is a HORRIBLE idea when youve got 8-9hrs of sleep for a week), OR playrd simple video games, and just veg in front of the TV, they could have cared less because Daddy was paying attention to them, THATS what mattered.

I whole heartedly agree, kids SHOULD learn about firearms, gun safety, cars, the enternet, people and interaction, everything we can teach, as soon as they are ready to learn it. They will pick what they feel is important, and want, and hopefully store the rest away for use at a later date. Whats important is that we actually pay attention and make an effort to teach them SOMETHING, and give them the time of day.

Thats just my opinion of course.

 

[Robert]

Folks, please keep it firearms centered. Anything else is off topic and will lead to a lock.

 

[red rick]

It sounds like you have your head on straight for a 23 year old . You must of learned a lot from your parents . I think it is a parents duty to teach their children how to shoot , safe handling of a firearm and about the constitution .

I hate cell phones .

 

[DoubleMag]

Folks, please keep it firearms centered. Anything else is...

Go ahead Dad/Mom, buy them that BB gun (b4 WM*** bans it too LoL). Just tell them, yup it's a BB gun. Not a 22 or shotgun, but, IT'S A REAL GUN. Goes bang.

Tell them, it's like training wheels on a bike, so they learn without too many chances of getting hurt.

Do a pop quiz on what is in the manual

ALSO TELL THEM, that they will most likely transition to another powder based gun soon enough, and, it's hard for them to understand but- they will eventually go back to pellet guns when they are older.hehe

Signed, Older LoL

p.s. oh and yes, I still have my 1st BB gun along with 2 others. It is a Crosman Powermaster 760 pump

 

[danez71]

The problem isnt the video games, or tablets, or phones. The problem is that many parents arent interested, or dont have enough time/energy for their kids, and dont pay enough attention. Give em guns and it wont be any better. Respect is earned not a right, you dont put the time an energy in....really hard to earn it.

Admittedly I was guilty of that a time or two since my kids were born.
For most of 2018 and all of 2019 I worked on the other side of the island, and drove every day. 2.5 hours commute started work at 10, got off at 6 (usually had 50+hour weeks), came home and my wife went to work. She came home and i slept for 3 or so hours then did it again.

I was probably only 1/2 there by the middle of the week, and more often than not the kids were watching ME by Friday.

For a good portion of each day they watched tv, or played with my phone. good? bad? dunno, that was simply how life worked.

When we did stuff like go to the park, go wander around the store, go to the range (which is a HORRIBLE idea when youve got 8-9hrs of sleep for a week), OR playrd simple video games, and just veg in front of the TV, they could have cared less because Daddy was paying attention to them, THATS what mattered.

I whole heartedly agree, kids SHOULD learn about firearms, gun safety, cars, the enternet, people and interaction, everything we can teach, as soon as they are ready to learn it. They will pick what they feel is important, and want, and hopefully store the rest away for use at a later date. Whats important is that we actually pay attention and make an effort to teach them SOMETHING, and give them the time of day.

Thats just my opinion of course.

From one dad to another, Thank you.

Kids will gravitate toward interactions.... if they get more affirmation from a phone than the parents,,,, it should be no wonder if the phone becomes more important than the parents.


Shooting and other activities with your kids can provide a great opportunity for a parent to earn and keep relavency in their kids lives.

 

[GEM]

Again, general child raising closes this.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I’m a woodworker and I see 3D printing making inroads on it. Heck, even woodworkers have 3D printers.

Folks are forgetting the process for the push of a button.

Teach your kids where food comes from and how to get it without going to the store. Not, to replace a supermarket but just so they understand.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Kids don't get outside enough, they don't respect their parents, they're just a bunch of spoiled brats.

That's not the kid's fault...

ETA: I cannot tell you how proud I was that I had earned the privilege to have a 22. In summer time, I wouldn't put that Winchester 9422 down. It went everywhere.

That first year or two, I took more squirrels than I have my whole life since, probably

 

[FFGColorado]

Or if ya can, all of the above. My grand daughters(7 and 9yo) will soon be coming up to mountains to shoot my Ruger Wrangler..if they like it, a 22 rifle fit for them is next. PLUS they have great bikes(from me), and yes, ipads..which have become essential as they home school on them. Iphone? Not yet but in a few years.... but mostly so we can keep tabs on them or if they need to quickly get help.

 

[Hog huntin Harry]

It sounds like you have your head on straight for a 23 year old . You must of learned a lot from your parents . I think it is a parents duty to teach their children how to shoot , safe handling of a firearm and about the construction .

I hate cell phones .

Yes sir, when I was 10-13 me and daddy would get the ammo, guns, ect. Get in the truck with George Jones and Moe Bandy on the radio, and drive out to the little range he had built on a 1 acre piece of land.

He taught me a lot about safety and the workings of his firearms, he also taught me about respecting others, being courteous, and good teachings in general.

 

[Hog huntin Harry]

Folks, please keep it firearms centered. Anything else is off topic and will lead to a lock.

With all due respect sir, what we're conversing about really is why (with proper gun safety ), guns are better for kids than fortnight.

 

[bassjam]

Tablets, iphones, xbox's, etc are not necessarily bad. We gave my daughter my old iphone when she was 8 (wifi only). She's also had a TV in her room, a playstation, a tablet, and a Chromebook for nearly as long. She's 12 now and knows how to use technology to show her how to cook or do anything else she wants to learn. She also goes outside and plays in the yard every day, goes on walks though the woods with the dogs, takes care of the kids while my wife and I are currently working from home due to Covid, and shoots regularly with me. Got her a M&P15-22 for her 10th birthday. I took her to the range yesterday and let her shoot a Buckmark while I shot a Hi-Power I bought a couple years ago and have only put one magazine through. Well, now I've only put 2 magazines through it because after I shot one mag I made the mistake of asking her if she was ready to try a 9mm. She them proceeded to go through all 225 rounds I had brought, while I was stuck loading mags for her and shooting the Buckmark.

 

[22250Rem]

My step grand daughters get to shoot as a lesson in being safe & responsible. Otherwise they wouldn't get near any firearms in the first place. It's a great experience for kids to do things that aren't all just fun and games, but require safety awareness and responsibility to become ingrained. When they are having fun at the same time it's a plus because it seems they learn better while doing something enjoyable. I trust this remains on topic enough because firearms safety is an integral part of anything firearms related and I love being able to shoot with the kids while instilling proper habits for that type of activity.

 

[Obturation]

I'll teach my daughter's to shoot when I know they can physically and mentally handle it.
It's best to spend time teaching fundamentals and practices young. No, my daughter's will not and do not have tablets or phones and get about am hour of tv per day, I make them go outside.
If we are to continue our great American tradition of firearms culture we need to get the young ones involved. Many don't .

 

[doubleh]

I believe that the majority of children in the US today simply don't have access to the outdoors in a meaningful way on a regular basis. I grew up on a farm and being outdoors was our way of life and I got to start going off hunting by myself as soon as I was big enough to handle my dad's Remington model 12 rifle when I was caught up on my chores. I was told how to be safe with it one time and that was it. I knew what would happen if I didn't do so. That way of life is gone for most kids today.

I'm well into geezerhood and working on helping raise five great grand children. I've already turned the oldest (12 years old in a few days) into a serious gun nut. Her little sister isn't as dedicated yet but still likes to shoot. Their five year old cousin is coming along fine and it helps that her dad was my first grandkid conversion into a gun nut. The other two are too young to care but grandpa with the little crickett rifle is lurking and biding his time.

Something I've learned is kids need to be occupied and with a variety of things to do. Your job is to help channel their energy. Shooting, hunting, fishing, and anything done outdoors is good but can't be their sole means of entertainment. Their attention span doesn't equal an adult's. I better qualify that statement as some adults.

 

[Fiv3r]

Good thoughts and ideas if a bit over generalized. Kids can't be lumped or sometimes even pushed into what we enjoy. A parent should not live vicariously through their child, IMHO.

My daughter has zero interest in guns. She's nearly 10 and I have offered to take her shooting as long as she has been big enough. She wants nothing to do with it. She's a quiet kid and doesn't like lots of loud noises or explosions. She listens to the TV at level 18 out of 100.

She enjoys some shows but doesn't live on her electronics. She's been on her tablet more lately but that is due to the fact that she can only "hang out" with her friends via video chat right now. Truthfully, her 39 year old parents spend more time on the phone/Xbox than she does

Now, back to shooting related. What she doesn't like in guns she loves in archery and sling shot. She's not a crack shot nor even particularly good at it, but she likes to go knock over cans with her old man still. I'll take that. I know I've only got another year or 2 before she hates my guts for a spell. Anytime she asks for a new sling shot, I get her one. She has tried wrist rockets, double tube, and flat bands.

I still want to get her to try shooting my old 795 .22 or the Glenfield Model 60 my grandpa bought for my dad 40 years ago. They aren't very loud and easy to shoot. The problem we have is that no one we know has a good bit of land where I could work with her one on one.

 

[Hog huntin Harry]

This thread sure did take off Lol

 

[TomJ]

I have a Ruger 10/22 and a Henry rifle chambered in 38/357 my 13 year old son loves to shoot. I also picked up a Mark IV a while ago that he also loves. I won't ever get him away for his X Box completely, but I do make sure his time with electronics is balanced with time at our gun club plus sports (he plays on his school's basketball team). Too many of the kids in our area spend the majority of their free time on their electronic devices, which IMO is not healthy.

 

[WestKentucky]

My girls have both guns and gadgets. They only get to use guns occasionally, but get to use the gadgets daily. We have the gadgets setup to require 1 hour of educational content before unlocking games. Once games are unlocked they get 1 hour of games. Beyond that, they play outside or in their rooms. What I have noticed though, through casual glances at the educational content, what we do together is what they read about. I laughed really hard last week when I saw a search for “animals that are not cute” followed by “gun to hunt alligator”, and my 8 year old prissy sissy trying to convince me that she (in 46 pounds of fury) is big enough to hunt alligators. My 9 year old should have a pretty basic understanding of what “great big guns” are now too based on her searches. I did put them onto Eddie Eagle with their tablets when I bought them their 22.

As a promotion of 2A and an activism topic, I think it’s an absolute necessity to not make guns an “either/or” situation. If it makes no difference whether we have a speedboat in the driveway when it comes to jobs, ideas, voting, childcare... life in general... then it should make no difference if we have a gun in the home. Shooting is a hobby, not unlike fishing, gardening, or playing video games. It’s just a different avenue to enjoyment and time well wasted.

So don’t deprive your kids of the things that other kids have that are sensible and reasonable. That only serves to alienate them at a young age and discourage interest in the hobby because it becomes an either/or at home as well. When it is thrust upon them instead of the things that other kids are doing then it no longer adds to their lives but it starts taking away other things, and those other things help to bond with other kids, and make friends. Not having (insert popular item) may draw ridicule and bullying as well which is traumatic on some level whether minimal or not. That can go a few directions really fast and most are not pretty outcomes, and all of them have hurt feelings. If the gun in the home is no different than a fishing reel, then it is a more valuable asset than it is a liability, and that is how they should be looked at. Yes, teach responsibility, but don’t preach the gospel of the NRA.

 

[Aletheia]

One thing I would say about raising kids is that being a good parent has nothing whatsoever to do with the things you give them, or don't give them, whether that is electronics or guns. No things of any kind determine the kinds of people they will become. Thinking that giving your kids guns is the key to good parenting, is just as silly as thinking that never allowing your kids to have guns is the key to good parenting.