Need some advice

[Micahn]

Howdy all
  I have a serious subject that I need some advice on.
My middle child done went and got hooked up with (Hangs my head in shame) a anti gun type person. Now I can deal with that but the problem is their child.
The subject never came up until not long after she was born. We was talking about something and the subject of guns came up. He said I do not believe anyone needs a gun. I spoke right up with well I have guns. He came right back with his child would never visit my house because he did not want her around guns. Well he got put in his place right fast by myself and my daughter. She flat out told him that her daughter will visit her grand parents anytime she wants to :-) that's my girl.

Now The subject has never came up again as she is only 2 1/2 years old now. But she also has never been to our home (we live about 2 hours away now) but they are coming here in about 2 weeks. We go there about 3 or 4 times a month to visit so they just never came here.
Anyway here is what I am worried about, When she gets older I will want to teach her about guns every thing from how to respect them to how to handle and shoot them. I believe that a child around guns needs to learn that stuff from a early age. The kids that shoot kids and all I believe are the ones that never learned about them. My kids (I have 3 girls) all learned about guns from a early age (maybe 5 or so I started talking about stuff to them) and all could shoot by the age of say 10 and know how to handle guns safely. They know they was not aloud near them without myself or my wife there with them. One of the proudest days of my life was when one of them told a friend that they could not go near the closet in our master bedroom because that was where the guns was stored ( they was stored on a top shelf and all was locked by the way). They was playing hide and sneak and the other girl went into the master bedroom.

Anyway how would you handle it ?
My future son in law is a great guy beside the gun thing and I want to keep a good relation ship with him. I know my daughter will agree with it and will help out with him. But I do not want to cause problems between them as well over this subject. I know I still have some time to work on him as she is only 2 1/2 now, But I just do not know how to bring it up again without causing problems.

Oh and this might be a great topic for a new forum as I know others have had to run into this subject before.

[Empty Quiver]

At an opportune moment physically show him where and how the guns are stored at your home. Let him know that safety and security are important to you as well. You should / would not be offended if he asks about the security when he comes over ( you do check a gun even if a close friend hands you one don't you?).  A Stack On gun box isn't terribly expensive, cheaper than a replacement for about any gun you own, and might be a cheap investment in good will.

Next you might point out that his own wife grew up around you, your guns, your training, and he didn't find her objectionable. Facts and figure quotes are of no use to you, you are dealing with emotion pure and simple. If you keep that in mind it will help. If you can find a DVD of the Eddie Eagle program from the NRA you should make that available to both him and the grandkid.

You don't have the only gun on the planet and protecting her from you will do no good when ten years from now she comes across one at a friends house.

[GRIMJIM]

Maybe invite him target shooting, if you can get him to go. You might be able to show him that gun ownership does not make one a violent person and who knows, he may actually have fun doing it.

[oldandslow]

Maybe invite him target shooting, if you can get him to go. You might be able to show him that gun ownership does not make one a violent person and who knows, he may actually have fun doing it.

Good advise. IF he will go it's possible that another anti might get converted when he discovers that all gun owners aren't idiots and how much SAFE fun can be had with them. Might remind him also that his wife grew up alright even if she was around guns from an early age.

[Oldshooter]

Good advice above!  This is relevant for me this week! An old family friend, that didn't like guns and didn't have one was murdered this week in his office in Orange Texas, by an obama supporter with a baseball bat!

If he had a 45 in his desk he'd be alive today! and there'd be a obama hat needing a new head to sit on!

Micahn, sorry for your misfortune, wonder how the genius will feel if/when his family is attacked and all he can do is yell at the attackers that they are breaking the law! Well heck the law will be there in 15 minutes so it will all be ok! 

[Micahn]

Great advice all thank you.

[Land_Owner]

I am the product of one such anti-gun person..my Mother!  Her Father, my Grandfather, taught her to shoot.  Once she even shot the barrel out of her father's best shotgun while hunting ducks - after she poked it into the mud and didn't check the barrel before she shot it.  Now that incident alone didn't cause her rift with guns.  Her becoming a Mother (of four) did as well as the indoctrination of a majority of youth in their formative ages during WWII. 

My Father was a WWII Naval Officer in command of a Mine Sweeper and saw plenty of Pacific rim action.  His "authority" in our house was "Bread Winner".  He spent A LOT of time at the office on overtime while my stay-home Mom raised us.  Dad's influence on me was latent until I too had a family of my own.  Dad and kids just didn't mix in well.  Some folks were never meant to have kids.  My Mother was.  My Father, an only child, wasn't.  But he nevertheless was a kind and gentle man on a mission to give his family the best that he could offer.

Fast forward to my youth.  My Grandfather taught me to shoot a single shot 22 rimfire rifle.  Mom and Dad would drop my older brother and me off at my Grandparent's home for the Summer, while my sister was being born, or for regular visits to give my parents a break from parenthood so they could possibly make my sister and younger brother?!?

Granddad's guiding hand and a very hard to cock, old, very heavy, 22 short rimfire rifle, which was difficult to hold on target at 6, 7, and 8 years old, gave my brother and me the first taste of shooting I ever had.  Mom wouldn't allow a slingshot, darts, BB gun - forget it!  What she didn't know couldn't hurt us.  

Mom and Dad in their 70's, and with the alleged Atlanta Olympics bomber supposedly hiding out on the back side of their mountain in NC (in fact he was!), she asked for and received my 7.5" bbl. SA Ruger 45 LC revolver as a "noise maker" so she could "feel safe" if someone came into their home or garage uninvited.

Do not dispair.  Your Granddaughter is in your good hands.  You will teach her the way and it will be a Defining Moment for her.  Be gentle.  Don't rush or push for a specific solution.  "Plant the seeds."  They will germinate in time.

[Old Fart]

Just a little something I'd like to add.
It doesn't cost anything and that's about what it's worth.
You might try getting him to shoot a BB gun first.
Then if he feels comfortable move up to a 22lr.

I've seen guys try and introduce someone to firearms using magnums.
I just don't think that's how you should do it.
Not to mention you might completely turn them off to any further experiementing with guns.

[SteveHawaii]

All excellent advice.  I just recently got back into guns after about a 30 year hiatus.  Nothing against them, just had other things to do.  How that I'm back it's funny how I've been thrown right into the middle of a great controversy.  When I grew up, everyone had guns.  Everyone hunted.  It was the odd person who didn't have one or hunt with one.  But then I grew up in northern Minnesota, right in the middle of a of a wilderness.  Didn't realize what it was or what I had as a kid.  Fast forward 30 years, boy has the world changed.  I'm no longer part of the majority.  People look at me as though I'm part of a cult following.  Now I need to take on a philosophical position.  I thought guns were supposed to be normal.  My wife still doesn't quite trust me with them.  Wonders why I need more than one.  But she goes to the range with me, but not with much enthusiasm.  But still, she goes.  She just doesn't trust me entirely, which is probably a good thing.

What I find most interesting is how much curiosity there is out there about guns.  People talk to me about how they don't like guns, but practically everyone will go to the range with me.  Most just don't know how to handle them, but they sure like to shoot them.  I generally start them off with the .22, work up to the .243 and then finish up with the 30-06 if they wish.  I'm shocked as to how many will shoot the 30-06 if I use that progression.

For those who didn't want to shoot at all, I find that all they sometimes need is some simple familiarization.  Everyone should know how to correctly handle a gun.  It shouldn't be a mystery.  Their overall attitude toward guns may not change, but at least they can safely handle them.  Maybe this approach would work with your future son-in-law.