As early as I can remember, gun safety was pounded into my head. My family hunted out of necessity, so there were always guns in our house, grandma and pappaw's and about any aunt's /uncle's I visited. Sure, we spent a lot of time shooting at each other with toy guns (or sticks, even)...but even before, when I was about 6 years old and got my first Daisy BB gun that wouldn't shoot through an empty soup can. No matter. I learned it was "a real gun and will be treated like one or you'll never see it again".
Moved up to a Crosman 760 when I was 9 or 10. It would shoot completely through a Campbell's can when pumped up to 8 or so. I remember dad telling me that it'll kill a bird pretty easily. And if I ever shot one, make sure it was one that tastes good cause I'd be the one eating it. I learned not so shoot anything I didn't intend to eat.
For my 12th birthday, I received an old Savage 24 .22/.410. Killed my first few squirrels, rabbits, quail, and pheasants with it. Whichever barrel I was using, it's still a single shot. I learned to make my shots count.
First gun I ever bought with my own money was an 1100 LT20 when I was 16 ($375). Killed more game with it than I could ever add up. I learned that bigger isn't always better and I could do everything I needed with that 20ga.
I gave my kid a Daisy Red Ryder when he was 6, and went through all the safety I could pass on to him so he'd hopefully begin his process of learning the same as I did. I don't hunt much anymore, but I will try to introduce him to it if he chooses.
Owned a bunch of guns between then and now. Some really nice, some crappy. Some I regret selling and some I only regret buying to begin with. I've had and still have rifles and handguns that shoot more accurately than I am capable (allowing other people to shoot them proved it). My favorite guns to shoot nowadays are an old Winchester 52B with peep sights and a kinda beat up MKII Ruger. I've learned (again) how much fun shooting .22's is, and I don't need a fancy range, huge backstop, rangefinders, high dollar scopes etc to really enjoy it.