cb1000rider wrote:The problem for me - and with great respect for people on this forum - is that statistics say the combinations of minors and firearms is especially not good in the home. They're much more likely to be involved in a cause of harm at home than a successful outcome for defending against a bad guy.... (Reference needed)Dori wrote:The law in Texas does have "lawful defense by the child of people or property" as an affirmative defense to prosecution.
You guys will have to help me with this, as I struggle, as a parent to figure out what that line is...
I believe children should be taught firearm safety, absolutely... But I'm not sure a 12 year old or a 16 year old can safely make a determination of when to pull and when not to pull at home... Even at 18 - if you teach them "see someone you don't recognize at the door" - may very well be not a good outcome. The converse is true, also... So in my mind it's not made up.
I remember in college, I came home for the summer (to an empty house). Around 3am, one of my local buddies woke me up by slapping me on the rear end.... I've had 0 bad guys sneak into my home(s). I've had at least one "not bad" guys sneak into my home - probably more than one...
As an adult, it's different.. And maybe that's where the changes are. No one sneaks in your house anymore. And now I've got security cameras, keep a K-9, and have a safe... But man, that transition, be careful.. that's all I'm saying.
See, that's where we're different. It's the life we've led.
When my kids were young we lived in the Texas Hill country, no one came up my drive without checking in first.
I had to explain murder to them when they were still in the single digits.
Then we moved into town in Colorado. The doors were always locked. No one has ever just walked in, even our best friends knock first, then come in.
We've been burgled, and robbed, each member of the family lost something. Some more than others, but everyone lost something, of monetary value, but also it took us a long time to get past it, teaching them the code, taking them back to the range and letting them shoot, that helped.
Then we had to explain "active shooter" to young teens.
Now we're in Texas.
My children value life, that's probably one of the biggest differences between them and alot of the youth walking around today. They wouldn't pull the trigger unless they felt threatened, but in that case, they would pull.
I like it.