Would you let your 11 year old do target shooting?

[Anonymous]

Rising 6th grade DD is desperate to join the school target shooting team. I'm not sure what to think...it seems a bit weird, culturally. I am open to others' thoughts, though!

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. I probably wouldn't send my kids to a school that had any sort of shooting team either. We are very anti guns.

[Anonymous]

Yes, absolutely. I took riflery in summer camp at that age and loved it. It doesn't mean that you have to embrace gun culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rising 6th grade DD is desperate to join the school target shooting team. I'm not sure what to think...it seems a bit weird, culturally. I am open to others' thoughts, though!

“I would because I’m a fat redneck yokel with a pickup truck! And you’re all a bunch of Lamestream soy boys!”

“Ugh. You’re so gross. Americans are such trash, what is wrong with all you MAGA incels that makes you literally psychotic? Do you even know how many gun deaths there are in Tuscany? I studied abroad there, it’s the size of Illinois. If you let your kid play with guns in 2023 you are part of the problem.”

/thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rising 6th grade DD is desperate to join the school target shooting team. I'm not sure what to think...it seems a bit weird, culturally. I am open to others' thoughts, though!

“I would because I’m a fat redneck yokel with a pickup truck! And you’re all a bunch of Lamestream soy boys!”

“Ugh. You’re so gross. Americans are such trash, what is wrong with all you MAGA incels that makes you literally psychotic? Do you even know how many gun deaths there are in Tuscany? I studied abroad there, it’s the size of Illinois. If you let your kid play with guns in 2023 you are part of the problem.”

/thread

Sigh. I know. Was hoping I could get some decent thoughts, anyway.

OP

[Anonymous]

I am generally anti-guns, but that is for the majority of the population who are untrained in safety and use. The majority of the accidents and problems come from people who buy guys "because it is their right" but they don't know how to safely and property store and use the gun.

I believe that people get to exercise their right if they are taught how to property care and use a gun. So, I have allowed my kids to go to the gun range at scouting events where there is a rangemaster and range assistants who can teach them how to property hold, load and use the gun. It's safer there and they'll learn how to use it properly. IMHO, having people trained to use guns properly, even if they don't have access to them, is safer than just total ignorance about guns. I want my kids to know how to load and use a gun and how to handle it safely so that if they ever encounter one (not that I would ever provide one), they are safer than if they had no training whatsoever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am generally anti-guns, but that is for the majority of the population who are untrained in safety and use. The majority of the accidents and problems come from people who buy guys "because it is their right" but they don't know how to safely and property store and use the gun.

I believe that people get to exercise their right if they are taught how to property care and use a gun. So, I have allowed my kids to go to the gun range at scouting events where there is a rangemaster and range assistants who can teach them how to property hold, load and use the gun. It's safer there and they'll learn how to use it properly. IMHO, having people trained to use guns properly, even if they don't have access to them, is safer than just total ignorance about guns. I want my kids to know how to load and use a gun and how to handle it safely so that if they ever encounter one (not that I would ever provide one), they are safer than if they had no training whatsoever.

FYI, my twins were 9 the first time they went to the shooting range at scouts camp. They are now 12 and have been there 3 times, all at camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am generally anti-guns, but that is for the majority of the population who are untrained in safety and use. The majority of the accidents and problems come from people who buy guys "because it is their right" but they don't know how to safely and property store and use the gun.

I believe that people get to exercise their right if they are taught how to property care and use a gun. So, I have allowed my kids to go to the gun range at scouting events where there is a rangemaster and range assistants who can teach them how to property hold, load and use the gun. It's safer there and they'll learn how to use it properly. IMHO, having people trained to use guns properly, even if they don't have access to them, is safer than just total ignorance about guns. I want my kids to know how to load and use a gun and how to handle it safely so that if they ever encounter one (not that I would ever provide one), they are safer than if they had no training whatsoever.

FYI, my twins were 9 the first time they went to the shooting range at scouts camp. They are now 12 and have been there 3 times, all at camp.

The shooting range is different from a trap club.

[Anonymous]

No, no, and hell no!

[Anonymous]

Yes. That’s thee safest place for your daughter to encounter a gun and learn how to handle one. You never know what she may come in contact with. Better that she has knowledge of proper handling techniques.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, no, and hell no!

Thank you for that well-reasoned answer. Are you anti-gun or anti-redneck?

[Anonymous]

I’m anti gun ownership but I don’t see a problem with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. That’s thee safest place for your daughter to encounter a gun and learn how to handle one. You never know what she may come in contact with. Better that she has knowledge of proper handling techniques.

In what world will a child have to know how to handle a gun? If they're in a room with one, LEAVE the room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, no, and hell no!

Thank you for that well-reasoned answer. Are you anti-gun or anti-redneck?

PP here. Anti-gun.

[Anonymous]

I would, barring some kind of red flag for my particular kid (obsessive interests, suicidal ideation, etc.). We're not a household that owns a gun partially because my husband is often suicidal, so I would look more closely at it if my kid was interested.

I went shooting some as a kid and it was fun. It's safe if you confine to a hobby or activity, like archery. Gun culture can be awful and widespread gun ownership is a problem in the US, but that doesn't mean you should avoid touching guns ever.