Kids at gun shows

[mjbskwim]

MA Duce's thread about the gun show ND made me think of this.

We have a couple of small shows over here at the Kitsap fair grounds,the PA masonic temple and the grange in Sequim.
Pretty informal

So I'm standing at a table discussing (BSin') silencers with the guy.
A teenager comes to the next table and picks up an UZI,just like it was his to play with.
I asked him how old he was...13....You aren't even supposed to be touching the guns,son.
I usually do this in my booming voice so the parents can hear too.
Oh,they aren't around.
Then I go to another table to look at magazines.
A 10-11yo is pointing a handgun at the crowd!!!
He is watching the booth,again NO PARENTS.Yes finger was on the trigger.
He did put it down quickly and then the parents came around.
Then a kid (34?) and his ,maybe 4yo were walking up to a table.The kid just walked right up and started to pick up a baby auto (smaller than those little colts/Berettas) and I said something before the dad did.

W.T.F are people thinking?

Then there's the Grand dad that always has a grand kid in tow.
They don't even think of touching anything.

Read More

 

[Unka-Boo]

By 13, they should know better....my 3 y/o OTOH, we're still workin' on it a bit....my 6 y/o definitely knows not to touch. Last show, my son ( the 3 y/o ) decided to find the only straight razor within arms reach in the whole show....D'oh. It got moved after that....

 

[mjbskwim]

The GP mentioned has a grand daughter that bounces off the walls...but never touches guns.

They kinda teach themselves to stop playing with knives don't they?

Buy a cleaning rod first thing you get to the show...use your imagination.

 

[Gaust]

I've taken my boys, who are 2 and 4, to a few gun shows and never had any problems with them touching guns.
My biggest problem is they get bored at the show and want to leave after a while.

 

[andy*]

I've never had an issue with my daughter at a show. I have seen things like the OP stated with kids however. Does make you wonder why the kids were never taught basic safety and or manners. My daughter is going on 15 so most of her attention is focused on the boys attending. I do find it fun to watch her at the show when the boys or vendor ( sometimes ) play the "she's just a dumb girl" card. Andy

 

[slyguy]

Kids are kids. It's great they are curious, but it's the parents job to set the standard and enforce the rules.
I'm pretty sure the same 13 year old is doing more than just what you observed. If they aren't taught early proper discipline it gets way tougher later.
Thank you for stepping in when you did and saying something - it's those who do nothing that let the kids think they can get away with it.

 

[STNOSU]

I have a five year old that has has been going to gun shows since he was 3. He knows to not touch things and I haven't had him grab at anything. He will get bored easy and want to go home or get a drink after a bit. He likes watching the videos some of the people will have playing. He will also comment on what he thinks looks "cool". When we go to the RickReal show where his grandfather usually has a table hes good about just sitting there, usually its his grandfather trying to give him stuff that gets him in trouble. That or the people that sell the rubberband guns with the target for them that get him in trouble. They usually make a big point of do you want to try it etc, sensing a sell. I usually I try to move him along since he has one from his first show he went to.

He does pretty good overall and he loves when he gets to pick out a target for his wall for his nerf guns or he loves picking a target mom or dad can shoot. Its not just kids that don't have manners or respect for people's property at the shows. Some of the old codgers need to learn some manners and not be so damn rude to kids.(Not because the kid is acting up but because of something they are wearing) Also I have seen a bunch of people in my age range roughly 25-35 that are going up to every gun cocking back the hammers and pulling the triggers.

As a side note my son knows he would get whupped if he started grabbing at things there might be part of it lol. He does have a big respect for guns and will not touch any gun without permission and even then doesn't want to touch them and tells us hes still too little. He does love his bb gun though but is very safe with it.

 

[HollisOR]

Kids come in two types those with good parents and those with not-so-good parents. BTW, I trusted my kids with guns even when they were pre-teen more than I do most adults.

 

[cyclesurvival]

I have 10 kids all my kids have been shooting since age 5. my youngest are 9 and 10 year old girls. They know that guns are a huge part of my life. They know to clear and check and if they are not able to clear and check they make shure I do so that they can see its safe. they never just pick one up! if they are intersted they ask if they can look. I set up a table at my little local gun show and sometimes they ask to come. The show is a short one 8am to 2 pm we get there early like 6 or 6:30 and they help me set up. They have the opurtunity to meet adults and converse on the adult level. I think they have met several adults that they like. I keep a watchful eye on them and make sure they are respectful of others and only touch after asking permission. My 10 year old is a wheeler dealer and always make some kind of deal to bring something home. She likes beads and there is always someone with old collectable beads. she has bought some nice trade beads and a few bone beads. Soon it will be time for the grandkids to learn about firearms and hope they have the opurtunity to enjoy them as much as I do.

 

[mjbskwim]

Kids are kids. It's great they are curious, but it's the parents job to set the standard and enforce the rules.
I'm pretty sure the same 13 year old is doing more than just what you observed. If they aren't taught early proper discipline it gets way tougher later.
Thank you for stepping in when you did and saying something - it's those who do nothing that let the kids think they can get away with it.

I'm pretty sure the same 13 year old is doing more than just what you observed.

Yeah that's what I wanted to hear....You're probably right on there.

 

[nwwoodsman]

A gun show is an excellent place for a child to be. I can easily take mine to gun stores. My four year old daughter wouldn't even think about touching a firearm without permission. Some kids just aren't taught. As with any public setting there are rules and boundaries that need to be set, which some kids follow and some kids don't. Feel free to set somebody elses kid straight for doing something stupid at a gun show, or an adult for that matter. I don't think anyone would look down on you for that...An unsupervised kid with a cell phone is far more dangerous than a well supervised child with a firearm

 

[The B]

i'm 29 with 4 little boys.... don't need to be a granddad to keep little ones in line. the 3 that are old enough to talk and comprehend the english language know it would be the last thing they did with that hand for a while.

besides... two of them already own their own firearms. guns aren't any more interesting to them than a boot or a spoon.

i do agree that my generation is a damn embarrassment to parenthood, though. i can barely stand to take my kids to the park and have to interact with these soggy milk-toasts.

 

[iusmc2002]

As with most things, if you don't sensationalize it, it becomes a non-issue. Whatever "it" is. Guns, sex, drugs, whatever. I have guns around the house; behind doors and sitting out in the bedroom. My kids see them constantly and they pay them no more mind than they do a toy that they aren't currently playing with. They are 4 and 6, I refuse to allow toy guns in my house for the simple fact that once they get in the habit of pointing a toy gun at whatever the **** they want, will it carry over into a habit with a real one? I don't know, and don't intend to find out. I don't do gun shows, but I'm confident that if I did, the only problems my kids would cause would be when they get bored and want to go somewhere else.

 

[just dan]

my kids are around guns, motorcycles, hot rods, other cars.

gun shows: they behave themselves, don't touch unless told they can, and have fun.

motorcycle/car shows: same as above. in fact, my little one got to sit in a 'cuda that had just been appraised at $140k... ten minutes later got to sit in the prior year's "roadster of the year"...
so... my kids have fun, enjoy being there, i enjoy being there with them, and they get to learn something when we're there. doesn't matter where "there" is. i do bring my kids to gun shows, because i don't feel it's anything to keep from them, and they behave well. i think they behave well because i'm a damned patient parent and connect with my kids.

now, the strip club... ok, they don't go there

 

[branchbuster]

But what is with the adults that pick up a gun and wrap their finger around the trigger? Stupid!!

 

[mjbskwim]

They get that from the sellers.

 

[STNOSU]

Yeah I would agree with the sellers part, today at the Albany show I watched about four different vendors that were pointing pistols at the person or the couple in one case and pulling the trigger to show them how good each piece was. Even noticed one vendor that kept racking what looked like a Glock about 4 or 5 times with the zip tie off it. All I caught as I was walking by was he was trying to teach someone a lesson. The other employee he told that to was pointing out the cut zip tie on the table and was asking about it.

Since this thread is about kids figured I would mention something else I saw at the Albany show. I always start at one end and work my way through the show, I was always about a table or two behind a father and son (son had to be early 20's to mid). Kid was dressed as a lil wannabe type gangster and was fondling every black gun and anything that looked remotely like an assault rifle. He finally comes to a table and tells his dad this is the one. Didn't really notice what kind it was but the guy was swinging it around with finger on the trigger. The vendor came up and asked if they needed any help, the son tells the guy I want this. Without missing a beat the guy tells him its not going to happen, hes not going to be responsible if something happens. First time I have seen someone get straight denied at the show. I kept walking since the wife needed me home in a bit to take her to work, so dunno how it all played out. Also dunno if anyone else noticed what was going on it was at one of the private seller tables it looked like instead of a business.

 

[The B]

The vendor came up and asked if they needed any help, the son tells the guy I want this. Without missing a beat the guy tells him its not going to happen, hes not going to be responsible if something happens.

this has got to be one of the coolest things i've heard in a long time.

 

[deen_ad]

I have 10 kids all my kids have been shooting since age 5. my youngest are 9 and 10 year old girls. They know that guns are a huge part of my life. They know to clear and check and if they are not able to clear and check they make shure I do so that they can see its safe. they never just pick one up! if they are intersted they ask if they can look. I set up a table at my little local gun show and sometimes they ask to come. The show is a short one 8am to 2 pm we get there early like 6 or 6:30 and they help me set up. They have the opurtunity to meet adults and converse on the adult level. I think they have met several adults that they like. I keep a watchful eye on them and make sure they are respectful of others and only touch after asking permission. My 10 year old is a wheeler dealer and always make some kind of deal to bring something home. She likes beads and there is always someone with old collectable beads. she has bought some nice trade beads and a few bone beads. Soon it will be time for the grandkids to learn about firearms and hope they have the opurtunity to enjoy them as much as I do.

You must be going to the SW WA Arms Collectors show at the Square Dance Center. We'll be there doing the cleanup afterward this Sat.


8 former US Presidents have been NRA Members
80 MILLION gun owners didn't shoot anyone today, a few criminals did!

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The "Feedback Score" is low by 4, not everyone posts it I guess.

Deen
NRA Benefactor/Recruiter
Washington Arms Collector member
South West Washington Arms Collector member

 

[cyclesurvival]

Yep I will be there. dont know if the girls are coming or not. their in a bit of trouble.