Ok been OCing awhile but still feel new to the parent thing. I have a son who is just over a year old and wife is pregnant again (not planned at least by me). I was wondering what I some others have experienced as far as play groups outing etc with kids and carrying. The good thing is our best friends that live in our apartment complex know I carry and the wife as well and have no problem since he does business overseas and usually has armed guards as well as himself. So any young child nightmares I can expect?
If you OC with little children, and they trust you already, they will never become anti-carry, they will think it is normal. (which it should be) If you carry and the child asks why? Tell them you carry to protect them from those that would harm their mother or themselves.
Children have to be taught to fear a firearm. They should be taught, very very young, to respect a firearm, but never fear it.
BTW: A lot of parents do not backup what they tell their children, this is one area you must never flinch...absolutes are absolutes, and this is oneabsolute. They are never to touch your carry unless you are there and they ask...the best way to teach that is to give them something/somespace that is THIERS and THIERS alone...never violate that thing or space without THIER permission. Tell them your cary is like their special space/thing...
Another thing...if you ever promise them to go shooting...do it...do not filtch. Have them agree, that any time they want to shoot/handle or whatever, it is only with you, and then MAKE SURE you make that time available...
Raised 5 daughters, have 14 grandchildren now...it works.