We don't have any kids, but I was a kid once myself! Dear ol' Dad split when I was about 1 1/2, so Mom had to find ways to get me around men for the influences she knew were important, but which she also knew she couldn't provide. Back in the early/mid 60's, even in So Cal where I grew up, guns had not yet reached the pinnacle of their demonization. Mom consulted the dads of some of my friends on how to get me involved in "manly" kinds of activities, and the YMCA came up. Started with "Indian Guides" at about 7, and by the time I was 9, I had been through all the junior NRA safety courses which the YMCA sponsored. I got my first .22 rifle that year and Mom would take me down to the Police range, which, back then, was open to the public on weekends, and patiently allow me to "train" her on all the gun safety principals I had learned in the previous couple of years. It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that Mom admitted how uncomfortable she was at that range. She hated the sound of gunfire and never quite trusted that everyone there were law-abiding folk. But she indulged me because, for one thing, it held my interest, and for another, I was a real good shot and some of the instructors advised Mom to get me into competition shooting. Never did do that, mostly because of the expense, but I have never lived a day since then without at least one gun in the house.
I participate on several other forums, one of which is mostly political in nature and has many international participants. The English and Austrailian participants seem to be the most shocked by stories like mine about our exposure at an early age to guns. "Shocked" isn't even a strong enough word to use; "disgusted" or "appalled" is probably more like it. We Americans are fortunate and unique in that regard. I applaud any man who, first, stays in their children's lives and, second, who takes advantage of that unique opportunity that we have to instill a tradition of self-reliance, responsibility and patriotism in them. Your daughter will grow up grateful and closer to you as a result. She's a lucky girl!
Blues