My Christmas wish
Phil Taunton
Friday, December 15, 2006
Christmas is just around the corner.
If you are thinking about buying a youngster a firearm for Christmas, even a BB gun or an air rifle, please take a couple of things into consideration.
Are firearms safe in your home and can your child be trusted with such a responsibility? What are the pros and cons?
The mother’s basic “BB gun block,” and the teacher’s and Santa Claus’ “You will shoot your eye out!” from the movie “A Christmas Story” pose a definite concern. But there are many positive things a child can learn from firearms safety education and especially the shooting sports: safe habits and responsibility that can last a lifetime.
Proper handling of a firearm and learning to be a safe shooter teaches responsibility and respect. Self-discipline and control also must be mastered in order to hit the target.
Learning to hold a firearm steady and to shoot a gun accurately teaches concentration and helps develop hand-eye coordination. Knowing the shooter alone is ultimately responsible for his or her performance teaches self-reliance and builds self-esteem.
Parents should realize a child’s age isn’t the most important factor when deciding whether there should be a firearm in the house or if the child should be allowed to be around firearms. Mindful, responsible parents know their child better than anyone else.
Can the child follow directions and handle responsibility? Is the youngster mature enough to make decisions that will ensure his or her own safety and the safety of others? And last but not least, does the parent or parents have the knowledge and experience to give proper instruction in the basics of firearm safety?
Flashback to Christmas 1963. A classmate of mine received a brand new .410 shotgun for Christmas. Before nightfall, Jimmy was in the hospital with a massive injury to the side of his head and eventually lost an eye due to a blast from that shotgun.
He recovered, but had to undergo many painful skin grafts to restore the damaged portion of his face. Others haven’t been so lucky. Don’t let such a tragic incident happen.
Supervision and instruction on the basic firearm safety rules also should have been a part of Jimmy’s Christmas gift. Hands-on instruction and training, repeated over and over, along with a thorough understanding of the safety rules will teach a child that nothing can be taken for granted concerning gun safety.
If a new gun is on your child’s Christmas list and you are still apprehensive about giving such a gift, you might want to have your child sign a firearms responsibility contract. In this written contract, the child promises to learn and obey all the rules of safe firearms handling.
Get a copy of the Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety, review them and discuss their meaning. Make it a point to attend a hunter safety education class if you haven’t already done so, even if you don’t plan on becoming a hunter.
A promise should be made to never play with firearms, because they are not toys, and that includes BB guns.
Where children are concerned, firearms should be used only with the permission of an adult and under strict supervision. Treat every gun as if it were loaded and never aim it at something you do not intend to shoot.
It should be clearly understood there will be an automatic forfeiture of shooting privileges for whatever length of time agreed upon, if the firearms responsibility contract isn’t adhered to.
The National Rifle Association’s award winning Eddie Eagle program teaches a child to STOP and DON’T TOUCH any firearm. It is important to resist the natural temptation to pick up a gun and put your finger on the trigger.
Explain to the child that real guns, unlike toy guns, can be very dangerous and that a real gun might look like a toy gun. Tell your child to immediately leave the area. Impress upon your child to tell an adult about what they have found so the situation can be controlled and other children won’t be at risk.
If you do own a gun, always remember to unload the firearm carefully and completely before taking it into the house. Never load a sporting firearm in the home. Always make sure that firearms are securely stored in a location inaccessible to children. You might even treat yourself to a new gun safe for Christmas!
Ammunition should be stored in a separate location, locked up and inaccessible to children. Place firearms in their proper storage location immediately after returning from a hunting trip or a day at the range.
When you remove your gun from storage, always recheck it to confirm that it is still unloaded. It is a gun owner’s responsibility to make sure his firearms are not casually accessible to anyone — especially curious young people who might be looking for Christmas presents.
For more information on firearm safety education, programs and events, contact the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. by calling (203) 426-2359 or going online at www.nssf.org, or call Eddie Eagle at (800) 231-0752 for their latest program information.