Julie Stauffer

My 8yo ds is fascinated with guns. He has been since he was a toddler.
When we go to the library, he checks out the "shooter's bible", basically a
catalog of all the different kinds of guns. Rather than attempting to
dissuade him, we have helped him learn how to follow his interests in a safe
manner.

We talk a lot about gun safety, he visited with a local gunsmith who talked
with him about how guns work and gun safety, he went to the local shooting
range and spent some time with an instructor, he is hoping to join the
shooting sports 4-H club next year.

Zach has a BB gun with which he is very careful. He only shoots at targets
and only in a specified safe area out back. We have rarely even had to
point out minor safety oversights to him and he has never pointed it at
anyone or any living things. But to see Zach with a toy gun is completely
different. He is constantly "shooting" people, cars, animals, birds with
his toys. Reason being that he is a normal 8yo and is very aware of the
differences between reality and play.

Julie