Giving kids toys

[hemet dennis]

So would you give a 5 year old a real gun ?

http://news.yahoo.com/5-old-boy-sho...gwM2EtMzgwMy05Nzk4LTdmYzc5YmFiNGY3ZA--;_ylv=3

 

[cupman]

no

 

[conny63malies]

Not without supervision. Yes, i would let them shoot a rifle . But only at the range or other suitable areas. We are a military family so guns, rifles and similar things are normal for our kids. My kids all have used shotguns and our 22LR before. We also are smart enough to never keep a loaded gun within reach. There are never loaded weapons in the house. THey are always stored seperate from the ammo.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

The problem in that case was not the rifle, but an egregious lack of parental supervision. It could have just as easily been the two year old shooting the five year old. When there are very young kids in the home there should be NO loaded weapons where they can reach them.

 

[MeatKing]

That's awful!! I could not imagine! My heart goes out to this young family.
That little boy, shouldn't have to live with that the rest of his life Why did a parent not check the gun and ensure it wasn't loaded when they were done. Although, I'm sure the mother is beside herself.
A very sad situation!

 

[cupman]

Maybe give a kid a pellet gun, but a .22 at age 5? I don't care what anyone says that's not a good idea. Isn't that the age where we need to worry about them running with scissors?

 

[duckinnut]

While I am a strong gun right advocate and shot my first shot gun when I was six but was not allowed and did not have access to the guns until I took a gun/hunter safety course at age thirteen. So no a five year doesn't need a gun at age five per se.. Sure give it as a gift but with "when you are old enough you can use with my supervision" and after a gun safety course speech. A five year old just doesn't have the mental capacity to fully understand what damage a gun can do.

I think the question that bears asking is "why was the gun not secured with children of that age in the house?" You know they require a license for just about everything, drive a car, buy a gun,catch a fish even get married but why don't the have a license to have children and a course you must pass? Truly amazes me that people have offspring with no clue how to care for them.

 

[donrae]

While I am a strong gun right advocate and shot my first shot gun when I was six but was not allowed and did not have access to the guns until I took a gun/hunter safety course at age thirteen. So no a five year doesn't need a gun at age five per se.. Sure give it as a gift but with "when you are old enough you can use with my supervision" and after a gun safety course speech. A five year old just doesn't have the mental capacity to fully understand what damage a gun can do.

I think the question that bears asking is "why was the gun not secured with children of that age in the house?" You know they require a license for just about everything, drive a car, buy a gun,catch a fish even get married but why don't the have a license to have children and a course you must pass? Truly amazes me that people have offspring with no clue how to care for them.

x2

 

[hemet dennis]

To the people that said the kid shouldn't have access to a loaded gun, that's wrong. A kid should never have free access to any gun loaded or unloaded. There should never be a gun in the corner with kids around.
In Calif. the parents could be arrested and prosecuted and would probably get jail time, and rightfully so.

 

[onedoodle3]

Actually my first thought, after the "OMG, how horrible!" thought, was this....Why was the rifle not checked to make sure it was unloaded? That is the first rule my dad taught me when I was a kid. After you are done shooting, ALWAYS make sure no rounds are left in the firearm. And then you put the firearm in a gun safe. None of the safety rules were taught in this situation. This is a tragedy.