This is an offshoot of the "Keep your guns secured" thread.  

I have always believed the way to child reduce related firearm accidents is education.  I know a lot of you out there agree with me on that, but how do you go about it?  When do you start?  Does it work?

Sometimes (as in my case early on) Mom is against you and doesn't want to expose the child to guns.  I got around this by simply turning on the TV and showing her the BAD influence he was getting every day and what I had to counteract.

My son's training started at 2 years old. As soon as he could understand what I was saying for the most part. At this time his traing was to NOT touch a gun if he saw it, and come tell me immediately.  Before he was 3, he showed me his training had worked when we were at a friend's house. He and their daughter were playing and he saw a rifle that had been left out. He immediately came downstairs to tell me about it.

By the time he was 4, he was helping me clean guns.  Since he was now allowed to touch them, I trained him to check the chamber EVERY time.  If he wasn't strong enough to rack the slide or bolt back, he was to put the gun down until I pulled it back for him and showed him the empty chamber.  Also introduced trigger safety and where to point the muzzle at this time.  I also showed him every gun that came into the house so that he would be familiar with them.  Especially the Glocks, since the plastic frame could be mistaken for a toy.  After some time I realized that whenever he checked a chamber, it was empty, so I intentionally handed him a loaded Glock without saying a word.  He checked the chamber, looked at me like I was an idiot, and emptied the gun safely.

We also started drilling on scenarios - usually while driving.  Using news stories to let HIM figure out what was done wrong.  One that I remember clearly was the policewoman that passed her gun around her daughter's school room, then had an ND and grazed one of the kid's head.  He picked the story apart and slowly found everything that was done wrong.  I also related good stories to him like the 8 or 10 year old boy that shot an intruder that had a knife to his grandmother's throat.

At 5, the BB gun training began.  Backyard Coke can shoots taught him how to aim and all safety rules were always followed.  I bought a BB gun for myself as well to lead by example.

At 6, we started with the .22 rifle and pistol.

At 9, he got his own 10/22.  He now shoots the AK47, AR15, Glock 17, Keltec P32, and even got to shoot a friends M-16 with a .22LR conversion.  At the last shoot he shot the 1911 for the first time and loved it.

Nothing could make me prouder than the phone conversation I had yesterday.  I was talking to a guy that was at the last shoot and he mentioned me being the dad of that kid who "sure knew his pistols".  Made my day [:)]

I am posting this to hopefully serve as an example to other parents, and just because I am a proud dad.  I don't know everything and have made enough mistakes in my life, but I know I did right by him.

I do have another child in the house - my roommates son.  I have been the only father figure he has ever had (i.e. I might as well be his dad), but with his temperment and behavioral problems, he is simply not ready at 5 years old to go beyond the "don't touch it" stage.  He does enjoy loading mags for me though and dumping ammo from boxes to ammo cans.  This has shown me without a doubt that each kid is different.  Take them up a stage in their training when you feel they are ready and they can listen and follow instructions well enough.

If you have anything to add, feel free [:)]

Yes, I have planted guns as well, trying to act like I am not watching.  How else will you know if it is working? [:)]