Video games

[steve from staten island]

So i discovered my 11 year old granddaughter is playing a video game which features various firearms. Its not a graphic video or excessively violent and i believe her parents are monitoring what she watches. The thing is she told us about various firearms, as she identifies the different types she see's. At this stage this game is no more graphic or violent then what i watched on TV when i grew up. The thing is she was surprised when she learned i have a rifle. She asked me if it was loaded and i said no and briefly explained safety and respect of firearms
The thing is she is inquisitive, she is never satisfied with a evasive explanation of anything. So i want to show her the rifle, let her hold it and explain to the best of my abilities safety, respect and anything else i can think of. I wanted to show her pictures of myself in the service as well as some pictures of my father when he was in WW2. I dont thing trying to hide anything or telling her all firearms are evil or any other bullshit like that
What I'm trying to do and of course I'm discussing this with her parents is not hiding anything. I think when kids learn they dont touch weapons and the reason why there are much less a chance of something terrible happening.
What I'm asking some of you and please no politics is your thoughts on this subject and any advise you may have. My daughter is monitoring what she watches, however in todays world its so hard to do this. They see this stuff outside the home and forbidding at times does not work, so i think education does. thanks

 

[HT413]

I think that’s great that you’re showing her and educating her. A lot of my generation (gen x) never talk to their kids and let their brains rot on their phones at dinner only to end up complaining they’re zombies.

 

[Mike67]

You and I have had discussion on kids and firearms and you know my view and how my girls have be trained since I have a lot of guns.
I think its great that you're talking to her about it, congrats! My effort was to remove any ammount of curiosity from thier minds.They have handled all of my guns looking them over, inspecting in a correct manner. Everytime they rolled it over to look at the other side I was always reminding themby asking questions like "where is your finger", "where is the muzzle pointed" drilling in that they have to be thinking about multiple safety items at all time while in their possesion or even when they were observing me.
I would retract your statement of " being unloaded"... I think that is one of the biggest problems is, it gives a kid a false sense of security/safety that will override the instruction of "not to touch" or could even be interpeted as being safe to handle in their little minds.
Secondly take her out and shoot it with her, not sure of the caliber you have but if you & her think she could handle it, ot will certainly remove the video game excitement and show how dangerous it can be.
Meghann my oldest has shot my 12 ga, she was about 11 and 70lbs at the time...i was impressed that she actually pulled the trigger 2x. They both have shot my 40/45/9/223/270/22.250....They like shooting the 9 and 22.250!
Remove the curiosity and it will be just another fixture in the house.

 

[WileE]

When I was a little lad, my older sister was helping mom do the ironing. When she finished, she was walking to put the still hot iron away with it facing out. I put the palm of my hand against it, and obviously cried out in pain for touching it. I didn't know it was hot. Had I knew, had I been informed and knowledgeable of the consequences, surely would not have done what I did.

 

[HT413]

When I was a little lad, my older sister was helping mom do the ironing. When she finished, she was walking to put the still hot iron away with it facing out. I put the palm of my hand against it, and obviously cried out in pain for touching it. I didn't know it was hot. Had I knew, had I been informed and knowledgeable of the consequences, surely would not have done what I did.

I’ve alwaus said, irons don’t burn people, people burn people.

 

[Bb70charger500]

I teach every kid I can about guns as most games they play involve them and it's just a game till they learn . The game she plays is probably the one there all playing fort nite it's air drop in destroy stuff to find guns and ammo then shoot at what ever moves . I don't like the fact that there teaching kids that guns are hiding around houses under beds or behind things . Again it's very cartoon ish but still . Then once you find a gun you run to kill as many people as you can ! That's the whole game ! I'm told there's a different area of the game that you pay for I've yet to see it or play it ! I watch 4 10-13 year old kids here and there so I try to stay on top of the fad so I can beat them when they ask me to play !
You can you tube the game there's videos everywhere kids love it but sure why !

 

[FrnkNsteen]

I think you are handling it correctly, though I second what Mike67 said about telling that it is unloaded. We have 2 grand-daughters and have taught them to treat every gun as if it is loaded, and never to assume that it isn't, because that is how people get hurt.

Our grand-daughters have grown up around them. They know their other grand parents hunt, as do we, and their Dad does too. They have shot our .22 with our supervision, and know what they can do. They aren't curious about them, or have any interest in handling them because they aren't anything new. They know about them and have grown up around them.

As with all things, in my opinion, if you are open about things and take it seriously, it removes the mystery.

 

[Cncguy1]

I think it's good to keep the subject of firearms more Natural. Just like the saying curiosity kills the cat. Keep the weapons hidden like they are secret or mysterious, which will drive a kid to investigate or show the youngster how to use them the dangers, it just becomes part of life.

 

[451Mopar]

Sounds like Fort Night as mentioned. My Granddaughter lives with us and will be 11 years old on the 20th this month.
She also plays Fallout 4 and Skyrim which can get pretty graphic.
I have shown her the real rifles, pistols and ammunition. Explained the operation and safety, and reality vs. video games.
I have done the same with my adult children. We used to go to the gun range and I would teach them how to shoot.
I have also explained hunting ethics, code of conduct, and giving thanks, honor, and respect for the animals killed to feed us.

 

[beanhead]

That's a good way to approach it Steve. To take it a little further, and obviously it's among you and the parents, and I don't know if you go to a range/private land/other facility but to let them hear and see the effects of what guns really do can be a valueble experience. I'm not talking about letting them handle live/shoot yet, but set up a couple watermelons (or anything similar that explodes)...something that gives good visual feedback of what actually happens when something is shot. It's worked for the kids in my family, their curiosities were satisfied and they were either too scared to want anything to do with them, or they wanted to learn the proper safe way to treat and use them. Proper respect was developed right away in any case.

 

[Budnicks]

knowledge is key in every part of life, guns included
even if it's just a video game


Maybe tell her "go outside & play, be a kid, not stay inside",
even better yet

 

[steve from staten island]

knowledge is key in every part of life, guns included
even if it's just a video game
Agreed. We had westerns, war movies, these kids have video games. We had toy guns, cap guns, thats taboo today.

Maybe tell her "go outside & play, be a kid, not stay inside",
even better yet

My granddaughter is extremely competitive. She is a dedicated to what she enjoys the best and thats dance. She does very well in school. Her outdoor play time is usually walking the dog or riding her bike, maybe playing basketball in the driveway. She is the kind of kid who is not satisfied with some answer that side steps a issue. So that is why i think she needs to know and understand. Her father agrees with me.

 

[steve from staten island]

I think you are handling it correctly, though I second what Mike67 said about telling that it is unloaded. We have 2 grand-daughters and have taught them to treat every gun as if it is loaded, and never to assume that it isn't, because that is how people get hurt.

Our grand-daughters have grown up around them. They know their other grand parents hunt, as do we, and their Dad does too. They have shot our .22 with our supervision, and know what they can do. They aren't curious about them, or have any interest in handling them because they aren't anything new. They know about them and have grown up around them.

As with all things, in my opinion, if you are open about things and take it seriously, it removes the mystery.

She asked me if it was loaded. Its a rifle not a handgun used for home protection. Why would i keep a high powered rifle capable of killing a person two blocks away in a closely populated area loaded? She asked i told her the truth. I did not as of yet get to the part of treating every firearm as if it was loaded, which i will soon

 

[Bb70charger500]

They sell the cap bullets I use them for training they make a pop sound if struck . When I teach the younger and sometimes older groups I go threw what to do and hand out guns loaded with these to see who was paying attention ! I kid you not once they pull the trigger and hear a noise it occurs to them really fast someone could of been killed ! I have a large group of kids around and with permission they all get trained in weapons and we even had the entire neighborhood out at the gun range one weekend (most are retired vets but the rest that were trained got to put there skills to the test (supervised of course) I tell them all as long as your good kids get good grades I'll teach you just about anything .
Before gun training I told all the kids in the hood that if they get a 's and b's on there report cards we would all load up and take a trip to the new laser tag place that opened up recently. And let me tell you I had every kid on the street bring there grades up we all went and played laser tag 20-22 of us there abouts that's just the kids the parents played too! We had fun !
Sorry got off topic a little . But basically if you teach them right and reward good and punish bad (like things were ) they turn out great!

 

[FrnkNsteen]

She asked me if it was loaded. Its a rifle not a handgun used for home protection. Why would i keep a high powered rifle capable of killing a person two blocks away in a closely populated area loaded? She asked i told her the truth. I did not as of yet get to the part of treating every firearm as if it was loaded, which i will soon

No worries man. I was just making the point that we try to teach to always assume it IS loaded as a safety point. I wasn't trying to say that you were wrong to be honest, just suggesting to set it in her mind that she should never assume. Sounds like you are handling it well.

 

[myk r sanchez]

When you have video games that feature you playing a terrorist, walking through a crowded airport and machine gunning civilians and murdering police officers as they run and beg for mercy and not to kill them, you HAVE to explain and educate the youth when it comes to firearms.

Otherwise, repeated exposure to graphic violence like the example I mentioned without any sort of check or balance will make a child callous to the dangers of guns as well as human lives in general. We cant stop the depravity that the entertainment world tries to brainwash our kids with, but we can educate and enlighten them so that they can see and understand what needs to stay fantasy, and what needs to become reality...

 

[Durandal25]

Its a tough subject to discuss today with kids. Its all about perspective. Kids get the Hollywood version sold to them 24-7, and then are told about how evil it is to own them by the same tools who promote pornographic violence as "art". Educate with permission, and then explain the civil rights she has as an American. They go hand in hand. My major concern beyond safety is if the child goes to school and discusses it with a friend or a teacher. That is why the civil rights part is just as important. Kids need to know that they must be able to read their audience as well......sad, but true.