This is NOT an IDIOT! This is a smart parent!
written by RabidJim on March 24, 2007

Anyone who would label this video "Idiot Dad Teaches Toddler to Shoot Guns" needs to have a handgun safety lesson or two. If your ANTI GUN then you should probably try to find a video that has a parent doing something wrong rather then doing all the right things! I see a parent teaching his child SAFELY what the gun is capable of and wearing ear protection, he also corrects the child about looking away from the weapon while holding it. I would rather ALL CHILDREN had some kind education on firearms, there would be fewer accidental shootings then when a gun falls into the hands of a child who has no idea how it works. It is irresponsible to call this guy "Idiot Dad Teaches Toddler to Shoot Guns" You owe him and all responsible gun owners an apology.

Not all gun owners are responsible, don't get me wrong, but cars kill more children then guns every year, yet every year they give more 16 year olds drivers licenses then they hand out guns to.

you are out to lunch
written by Don on March 25, 2007

Hello! This isn't like teaching a young man how to responsibly use a firearm. This is a 2-3 year old toddler shooting a friggin handgun. Get a clue!

I guess your CHILDLESS!
written by RabidJim on March 26, 2007

Well, I guess you can see the 2-3 year old pulling the trigger! That means he is capable of shooting the gun regardless of age! The sooner you take the "magic" away from the gun the less likely he is to play with it. Do me a favor when, when you have a child of your own do not teach it any gun safety or that electricity is dangerous oh and forget the lesson about staying out of traffic because if he isn't old enough to drive then the cars can't hurt him! Your not only out to lunch but completely clueless! Your neither a parent nor a gun owner, I would suggest you get one or the other before you give advice on either!

I guess your an American
written by Don on March 26, 2007

You sure are very good at assuming. I do in fact have children. It's hilarious that you equate gun safety with electricity and traffic safety. You are right about me not being a gun owner though. In fact I have never seen a hand gun up close. Neither has anyone I know because where I live we are not all gun toting yahoo's like you probably are. I take it you are an American so your ignorant and arrogant response does not surprise me. See I don't have to teach my kids handgun safety because they will probably never see one in their lifetime except in pictures and videos. There is a reason why countries that have the most guns also have the most murders and the countries that have the fewest guns have the fewest murders. If my son wanted to learn how to properly use a firearm such as a rifle for say "hunting" I would be fine with that but hand guns only serve one purpose and that is to kill people. If you didn't have hand guns laying around all over the place there would be no need to teach toddlers how to use them would there?

Well said
written by Patrick on March 27, 2007

"If you didn't have hand guns laying around all over the place there would be no need to teach toddlers how to use them would there?" - True

I learned to shoot at about the same age
written by Zak on March 27, 2007

with the same gun - a Ruger Mark II .22 pistol. It is well-suited to target shooting and small game hunting, and I did a good deal of both growing up (closely supervised until I was much older than that, of course). That handgun is certainly not intended for killing people; it's large, hard to conceal and not very powerful.

Most people who use guns, whether for target shooting, hunting or personal protection are not uneducated, crazy, paranoid or homicidal. In this case, the adult has his hands on the gun at all times. The potential for injury is quite a bit lower than many more socially acceptable activities such as swimming or the aforementioned bike riding.

lol @ zak
written by Brian on March 27, 2007

I think we disagree about the meaning of the word "potential"

@ RabidJim
written by God=Santa_For_Adults on March 28, 2007

So... you're saying that using guns is cool @ the age of 2.5 years. Also, by your analogy of Traffic safety and electricity is dangerous doesn't fit this video. If i use the same analogy, i should give a wire-cutter to the toddler and tell him to fiddle with the Mains in the house so that he can figure out how dangerous 440Volts are, or make my kid stand in the middle of a Highway to show him that it's dangerous to jump in front of moving traffic... that's simply stupid.

Bad analogy
written by Zak on March 28, 2007

>If i use the same analogy, i should give a wire-cutter to the toddler and tell him to fiddle with the Mains in the house so that he can figure out how dangerous 440Volts are, or make my kid stand in the middle of a Highway to show him that it's dangerous to jump in front of moving traffic...

A better analogy would be holding his hand while showing him how to look both ways and cross the street. It would have been extremely difficult for the child in the video to point the gun anywhere his dad didn't want him to since the dad had both hands on the gun the entire time.

It worked for me!
written by TikiMon on March 28, 2007

When I was a pretty young kid, I wanted to join my relatives who were shooting at the back of my grandpa's place. Rifles, shotguns up to 12 gauge. It did two things for me. One, I learned that real guns were VERY different from my toys. Scary loud, try to jump out of your hands, and things downrange get vaporized. It made me VERY respectful of firearms, and I didn't touch one without adults around until I was grown myself. Second, I learned the Right Way and the Wrong Ways to handle firearms.

Thanks to early exposure, I never shot myself or anyone else, and have taught many others how to safely handle and have fun shooting firearms. If instead I had stumbled across a gun ignorant of its nature, I might have played with the thing.

Today I own firearms. They're loaded and ready to use, and locked away in fast-access safes. When I have kids, we'll go somewhere when they're old enough to hold a toy gun and they will learn the same respect and safety that I did. I won't wait until they're timid, frightened adults like so many of you seem to be.

Does that equate - as the simpleminded have commented here - to giving my young kids guns and telling them to go play? That it's okay to mess with the guns? Get real. They will also learn the dangers of being around cars long before they are allowed to drive, and especially before driving alone. Before the simple rave about how there's no comparison, there is. Cars kill more people than firearms do, and are to be encountered everywhere.

I suspect part of the strident protests are motivated by anger that kids are told the truth early. I suppose liberals would rather the kids have 20 years to absorb scare tactics and misinformation first. Plenty of people are likewise afraid to fly, although it's the safest thing you can do. Your personal fear is not evidence of danger, folks. And knowing about danger is a sure way to avoid it.

Re: It worked for me!
written by JazzyJeff on March 28, 2007

I think the main and obvious point you are missing is that this child is only 2-3 years old, isn't wearing any eye protection and the fact that it is a hand gun. It amazes me how people like you try to justify this stupidity!

...
written by Pete on March 28, 2007

The fact that it's a handgun means nothing -- it's small enough for the kid to use with very attentive supervision. Handguns are not any more dangerous than a rifle, shotgun, or any other type of firearm...but in this case, the handgun's small size, low recoil, low noise, and moderately sized grip makes it an ideal gun for a child to use.

I do agree on the lack of eye protection -- that's not very smart.

As for age, if the kid is supervised by the father, who keeps positive control of the pistol at all times, and the kid is having fun, I see no problem whatsoever in this activity. I might not teach my kids when they're toddlers, but would start on the "don't touch the guns" type warnings when they're small, and then show them how to safely use them once get to be around 8-9 (or whenever they're responsible enough). Once they're able to safely handle a gun of their own, I'd probably get them a Ruger 10/22 or some other .22 rifle of their own.

Hey Don
written by Jeremy on March 28, 2007

Hey Don, you must be an Englishman that is afraid of the scary black things that go bang. Well just keep yourself on the other side of the pond and nothing bad will happen to you because Big Brother will tell you what to do. Get a clue.

Another 'early shooter' here... with a son... f3@r!
written by Caimlas on March 29, 2007

I was an 'early shooter'. Not quite that young (which I'd guess is quite a bit under 3, if my 3-year-old son is any metric for comparision), but probably around 4. For me, it was .22LR rifles, and then when I was maybe 7 I was allowed to shoot my grandfather's Colt Woodsman .22LR (which is very similar to the pistol in the video) by myself. About that time I also started shooting slightly more powerful calibers - .22 Hornet comes to mind (a little bit weaker than .223).

There are several things this did 'to' me: it inspired me to have a healthy fear of them. By that I don't mean fear, as most of the fearful people on here likely experience it; the fear I experience is similar to that demonstrated by a person who doesn't jaywalk across a busy street while wearing black, at night. My behavior around firearms is wholely ingrained from my youth: I don't put my finger on the trigger unless I'm about to fire; I don't point the barrel at anything I don't intend to destroy; I treat every firearm as loaded until I have checked both visually and physically that it is otherwise. And, when I'm shooting, what is behind the target I'm shooting at. These are all traits which were driven - sternly but lovingly - by my grandfather. I don't even have to think about keeping my finger off the trigger, it's become such instinct.

This instinctual safety mentality was brought on by early exposure to firearms. The exposure made me appreciate the destructive power of a firearm, and revere it - just as kids tend to learn to do with cars, electricity, bikes, and anything elsewhich has a potential for harm. They don't avoid those things, per se; but they do treat them with a cautious respect for the damage they can deal while in the control of an irresponsible or uncautious person.

Honestly, whether you're of the persuasion that guns are inherrently evil and dangerous (neither of which can be backed up with fact or history, but you're entitled to emotional appeals as much as anyone), or you want your child to be familiarized with firearms. If you're under the impression that guns are evil, then this reality should be fully born out in the mind of the child when they see how destructive and dangerous firearms are.

guns aren't dangerous
written by Andy on March 30, 2007

You claim guns aren't dangerous (can't be backed up with fact or history? lol) after you've finished talking about how you learned to fear their destructive power? And I suppose you've never heard in the news about someone being shot (to death or not). So why be educated about guns if they're not dangerous? Your reasoning just doesn't add up.

Maybe I should teach my son responsible drinking at this age too!

it takes an idiot to raze a village
written by Andrew on March 30, 2007

Don says: "I do in fact have children. It's hilarious that you equate gun safety with electricity and traffic safety. You are right about me not being a gun owner though. In fact I have never seen a hand gun up close. Neither has anyone I know because where I live we are not all gun toting yahoo's like you probably are."

Then accept that you have no idea what the hell you are talking about.

A firearm is a device for transmitting large amounts of kinetic energy to a small piece of metal. As such, it has much in common with a motor vehicle, electrical circuit breakers, and a chainsaw -- all of which manipulate and control similar quantities of energy, which can kill if improperly handled.

I am trained to consider a firearm a piece of life safety equipment for use in extreme emergency involving life and death.

Don says: "See I don't have to teach my kids handgun safety because they will probably never see one in their lifetime except in pictures and videos."

Your country has neither military nor police? As certainly you have no criminals. Even the UK has illegal handguns out there.

Don says: "There is a reason why countries that have the most guns also have the most murders and the countries that have the fewest guns have the fewest murders."

You know even less about statistics than you do about firearms. Given that the latter is illegal in your country, I'll give you that . . . but if you're going to pretend to be an educated adult, you should go learn the difference between correlation and causation.

Don says: "If my son wanted to learn how to properly use a firearm such as a rifle for say 'hunting' I would be fine with that but hand guns only serve one purpose and that is to kill people."

Gosh. I didn't know that. I'll go tell that to all my armed bank guards so we can stop wasting our time scaring off criminals from robbing and murdering people.

(Tongue removed from cheek.)

Handguns have several legitimate purposes. Self defense certainly looms largest among them. No one starts a fistfight with an armed man casually, or breaks into an occupied home for a little rape and murder when the owner just might shoot them dead. Defense of others -- as with police, military and security -- is almost as important.

Other purposes include sport and target shooting, a tool for hunters and ranchers who sometimes need a second weapon, and as with many other things, collectors.

Also our government, made by and for the people, trusts us to possess weapons. Your government is not so trusting. I can see why.

OK Buddy!
written by Don on March 30, 2007

Andrew says: "A firearm is a device for transmitting large amounts of kinetic energy to a small piece of metal. As such, it has much in common with a motor vehicle, electrical circuit breakers, and a chainsaw -- all of which manipulate and control similar quantities of energy, which can kill if improperly handled."

Whatever you say, is this your way of trying to sound smart while saying absolutely nothing intelligent? I will repeat my earlier quote "If you didn't have hand guns laying around all over the place there would be no need to teach toddlers how to use them would there?"

Andrew says: "Your country has neither military nor police? As certainly you have no criminals. Even the UK has illegal handguns out there."

Yes there are handguns out there but so few compared to places like the US most people never seen one up close except maybe for Police officers. I think we don't need to worry about them.

Andrew says: "Handguns have several legitimate purposes. Self defense certainly looms largest among them. No one starts a fistfight with an armed man casually, or breaks into an occupied home for a little rape and murder when the owner just might shoot them dead. Defense of others -- as with police, military and security -- is almost as important."

See this is why I am glad I don't live where you do because things like home invasions are a rarity. A shotgun or rifle can give you the same protection if not better. Why the need for a concealed weapon?

Andrew says: "Other purposes include sport and target shooting, a tool for hunters and ranchers who sometimes need a second weapon, and as with many other things, collectors."

Fine leave them at the gun range. I have never heard of a hunter using a handgun, I think you are just grasping at straws here. What are you hunting, crack heads?

Andrew says: "Also our government, made by and for the people, trusts us to possess weapons. Your government is not so trusting. I can see why."

This is the dumbest comment I've heard yet! Your patriotism is nauseating. You don't get it. We don't want your fucking guns! You and BillyBob can keep your guns over there!

If you didn't have hand guns laying around all over the place there would be no need to teach toddlers how to use them would there?

What is the big deal?
written by Anon on April 2, 2007

I really do not see anything terribly wrong with this video. The dad seems responsible and caring. And the child will grow up comfortable and aware of firearms. Granted the child is a bit young, but there are kids this young out riding motocycles and quadbikes and doing all kinds of things that people could say are dangerous.

Anyway, I don't get why everyone one here is talking about patriotism and all kinds of stuff that has absolutly nothing to do with the video. It's a picture of a dad showing his kid how to shoot a weapon. How do we know if he is a patriot or a not?

As far as the those who say silly things like, 'You must be an American' for being pro guns. I'm not sure how that figures since the USA is not the only country with firearms ownership and use rights. I suppose the canadians, the swiss, and loads of others are all crazy too because this own and use weapons?

Man some people just don't get it. All I see in the video is a guy teaching his kid how to shoot. I didn't see a crime, I didn't see a human being tied to a tree being shot...or a dog. I didn't see whatever the hell some of you people are seeing in your heads.

What's the big deal? (Continued)
written by Anon on April 2, 2007

I just wanted to add this web link for those in the EU and the anti-guners who are so stuck in the frame of mind that guns are really the problem;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1566715.stm

@anon
written by joel on April 3, 2007

"but there are kids this young out riding motorcycles and quadbikes"

Hmm I don't know about you bit I don't know of any 2 year olds that ride motorcycles.

What's the big deal? (revisited)
written by David on April 4, 2007

-"but there are kids this young out riding motorcycles and quadbikes"

-Hmm I don't know about you bit I don't know of any 2 year olds that ride motorcycles.

mmmmmmm.......come to think of it, I'm not so sure it takes a quadbike a movement the length of one quarter of an inch to blow the brains out of someone's skull, either.

This is WRONG
written by Shooting Addict on April 9, 2007

As a father and a shooter (I custom my rifles, bed em and can shoot into a 2CM cicle all day at 100M and own a range of other firearms for hunting, plinking competition and clay) I say this is pure brute ignorance. A toddler is not old enough to recieve and obey instruct6ion or understand the principle of sight alignment. This moron is a class example of the bad gun owners that the fringe of the NRA create.

I'm in the EU. Shame I'll never get to thrash you in a 300M prone competition because idiots like the people here are not good enough shots to cut the grade for international.

This guy should be locked up for a month for pulling macho cr*p with a kid that should be playing with a ball and learning to count. Moron is as monon does.

Yes. Of course.
written by Ben on April 15, 2007

GUNS are what kill people. SPOONS and FORKS make people fat. Honestly, it looked like that kid didn't like it too much. He even freakin cried for mommy at one point. Know what this did? It showed him that he shouldn't play with it. Most child deaths involving guns are accidents, they were showing it to someone. You don't say "Guns are bad" and expect that to keep them away, it's like telling your kid they shouldn't drink till they're 21, IT'S THE CURIOSITY. They drink because they're not supposed to. If you've ever been to Thailand, where there is NO legal drinking age, I saw literally NO kids drinking. Why? Because beer isn't that great. It is the status we've given it that causes it to become a problem. If beer was just another drink, hardly anyone would drink it.

...
written by David on January 21, 2008

We have no guns laying around our home, but my 5 year old son got a .22LR for his 4th birthday. The rifle was made for a child, it can only be fired with the assistance of an adult.
He practices almost daily, and will be competing this year against men 10 times his age. What I get out of this as a father is son who understands the safety of his sport, and that has branched out into so many other parts of his life. He has a good understanding of the laws and what the law leaves out, I fill in. One thing I do know, if a kid shows up to school with a firearm my son will know exactly what to do.
Kids that learn to hunt and fish don't grow up to rob little old ladies.
Fearing something and not understanding it is two very different things.

Wow!
written by Instructor Dave on July 12, 2008

I will say that anyone who believes that their child will NEVER even see a firearm is extremely naive; Regardless of the country in which he lives. We might as well say that his kids will NEVER try illegal substances, drinking underage, throwing parties while the parents are away, etc...I think once that argument denigrated to curse words and name calling Don lost all credibility with me. I am a firearms instructor and a law enforcement officer and I would have to say that I purchased an airsoft gun for my SIX year old to start him on the fundamentals of good marksmanship. I have been teaching him safety for the last three years (handling my real pistols without ammunition)I think that three is probably a bit young to start shooting. I agree with "shooting addict" on one solid point: I too, "say this is pure brute ignorance. A toddler is not old enough to receive and obey instruction or understand the principle of sight alignment"
The discipline is just not there. Maybe the dad's intention was merely to scare the crap out of the kid to keep him from touching but I would have not chosen that method.
I would like to respectfully disagree with several postings about how teaching firearms keeps kids out of trouble (I am paraphrasing)
"Kids that learn to hunt and fish don't grow up to rob little old ladies"

This is a HUGE generalization... I have made a few arrests in my time to the contrary. AND since there are several good examples of extremist parents teaching violence WITH firearms.

ALL "gun toting” Americans aren’t “billybob”, nor are we all arrogant OR ignorant.
I am a concerned parent just like the next guy. I will make informed decisions for my children.