Parents, brothers, sisters,uncles, aunts whatever,
All or almost all kids will eventualy at some point, at some placebe introduced to a gun, a real firearm.
Let that initial introduction be safe, responsible, controlledand of your choosing.
Most kids associate guns with what they've seen on TV or in a video game which is about as misleading as can be and has nothing to do with the realities of a gunshot.
Don't let that first introduction be at one of their little friends house who's father has not secured the home protection firearm and now they are monkying around with the gun.
Be the first to Safely and responsibly show them what a REAL gun can do. The first time a kid hears a real gun blast then sees what it does to the real flesh of a squirrel orrabbit their natural instinct will scream at themthat THIS IS SOMETHING YOU DO NOT FOOL AROUND WITH...EVER!. They will realize the difference between TV, a video game and real life and death and should some kid start fooling around with a gun or ammunition Your kid will know its time to leave and tell an adult.
The report or noise from one or 2 gunshots will not do permanant damage to a youngsters hearing.But itwillleave a lasting impression of reality and after that, after safety orentation and safe firearms handling orienation should they chose to parents and kids can have fun together shooting targets and creating lasting memories.
If the parents have no firearms orientationthen your local gun shop-fun store can give both parents and kidssafety and function oreientation. Most gun shops rent guns for $5 or ten bucks a day and will offer basic orentation for free.
Just don't leave a youngsters first exposure to a gun up to chance. That is irresponsible. Think about it.

 

Good post and advice to those with little ones.

 

I like that and it is so true. I've been around guns pretty much my whole life from my dad to my grandpa and even great-grandpa. All of them always taught me the safe way to shoot and handle them and would always never mess around with them unless it is at the range or during hunting, THESE THINGS ARE NOT TOYS!!!!!! I guess all of the exposure to the safety precautions all growing up lead me to ace my Michigan hunters safety course.

 

Personally I don't keep a gun of any sort around I just don't like em never have However my wife's father is an avid gun collector and is always taking our 4 sons out to target practice and hunting so (luckily for me) I found a little publicized event called jake's day about an 45 mins from our house, it is held once a year and is free to everyone. Representatives from the NRA, a few local hunting clubs and the ohio gaming commision are all in attendance it is just a full day of gun and bow safety with the experienced folks teaching kids the proper way to handle, store and shoot anything you can imagine from rifles to pistols, bows, crossbows etc so I make sure I take my boys to it every year (5 years now) they complain on the way there since they have done it several times now but once we get there the complaining stops and they have a blast.
Sorry for the ramble but the point I was trying to make is events like this should be WAY more common and publicized heavily to maximize people's awareness that such things are out there.