Clarification

I understand some of you were a bit shocked to see that Brooklyn was given a gun for her birthday. I'd just like to say that we are a big gun family. I have my own gun, Erik has a couple of his own, plus, my parents have several as well as Jeff and Tandy. Since we have all these guns my children have been taught from the time they were first around them that they were dangerous. Brooklyn has never been allowed to touch a gun without permission. She also knows that they can hurt people and she should never point one at another person. We are also teaching her that if she sees one of her friends with one she needs to tell a grown up. But she knows and will continue to be reminded that they are not toys and she should always ask us before touching her gun. I believe in teaching them gun safety from the time they are young, especially since there are guns in all the houses she visits. Her gun also comes with a lock built into it. When you lock it with the key there isn't any way for it to be shot. I feel it is important for her to properly know how to use a gun. And she is never allowed to use one without one of us with her. Guns are a part of our family and I just want my kids to know and understand them. She mainly just wants to go hunting with her gun. Which is something she will do when we feel she is ready. Whenever she holds her gun we are always reminding her of how to be safe. My kids will never be allowed to play with a gun. Not even a toy gun. Some toy guns look very real and I wouldn't ever want my children to become confused between what is a real gun and what is a toy. I feel that by teaching them from a young age about gun safety will help prevent a child from being hurt or killed by a gun. I feel a lot of accidental deaths could be prevented if parents took the time to teach their children about gun safety. I just felt I needed to make this all clear about how we feel about her having a gun. She knows her gun isn't a toy. And by her having her own gun she will have a better understanding, because she will hopefully not be afraid to shoot anymore.