Never Too Young To Learn!
Many people underestimate the learning ability of young children. They keep things from them because of their age, thinking they are doing them good. They try to keep guns hidden out of sight with the mindset of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. They may ask their kid to leave the room while performing first aid or when it’s being performed on them. All the while, the child is very interested in what is happening and their inquisitive minds are running ramped with questions and wanting to experiment and learn.
As a parent, it is your responsibility to teach your children; and what better time to teach than when they are ready and willing to learn, no matter what their age is.
Whether your child’s interested in firearms, rock climbing, zip-lines, first aid, or other topics, it’s your job to teach them the basics and explain things before they get hurt trying it on their own, or learn the wrong techniques from someone else. When teaching, be sure to stress the importance of safety and that certain things should only be done in the presence of an adult.
Understandably there needs to be some caution when teaching children how to do certain things, and knowing your child and what they are capable of is something only a parent can decide; but, please don’t stop from teaching something simply because it’s typically not talked about to young children.
A good example of this is that of teaching young kids about firearms. While some would never want their kids to touch a firearm out of safety, that doesn’t mean that firearms are evil or bad, in and of themselves. We should teach our kids that it’s people’s choices that cause people to die due to gun injuries.
If your child is interested in shooting sports, but is only 7 years old; they may not be able to handle a full-size 9mm handgun, but they may very well be able to handle an airsoft pistol with paper targets set up. This simple solution to their curious nature allows you to teach them about safety while having fun.
What is your child interested in? Is it something that is generally looked at as an adult thing to do? Think of some simple ways to explain things to them and hopefully solve their curiosity before something bad happens.
Let us know how you’ve handled certain situations by commenting below.
