Teaching my children about guns

Today for the first time in about 20 years I shot a gun . Yes shocking ! We have a glock 19 we have had since we got married . When I lived in ga I actually had a CW . See I grew up shooting guns. My parents had 357mags and 44 mags and some shotguns .
I remember them being loud . We shot them in the back yard . We didn't have ear or eye protection . How unsafe!


After my oldest got mobile I sort of became a anti gun mom. I was terrified of my spirited child getting to the gun. So I told their dad no more .

When I had my first boy I was determined her wouldn't 'play with toy guns' or be exposed to any 'violence' well I tried ...but before long he was making the 'pu pu pu' sounds . Using his fingers and then sticks . Sigh ! What did I do wrong?'

So as he got older I just told him not to point his pretend gun at people or animals . That guns kill and it's against our beliefs to kill .

Mothers of boys know what I mean! I have been so terrified of having my son grow up to be a killer ! I do believe we live in a desensitized world . And sadly let's face it the majority of the mass killings are by males .

I have been back and forth with whether to teach my kids safe gun usage .
I am very pro life . I believe natural conception to natural death . I do not believe in the death penalty . Yea I'm sure this will anger many .

Some argue we should trust in God to protect . I do! But I find myself thinking with the world as it is and gun rights being threatened , I should teach my children proper safe gun usage . I showed them the hunter safety class online . I have been explaining more and I got the glock out and disassembled it . I went over proper handling of guns , we treat them all as if they are loaded . We point them at the ground and do not put your finger on the trigger until ready to fire the weapon .

A few months ago i joined a FOP outdoor range . It wasn't very expensive . Yet ammo is super expensive and very hard to find ! A local catholic dad was very generous and gave me a few boxes of ammo . For that I am so grateful .

So today I took a few of the older kids and met up with another couple that has several guns and a CW . They were so kind showed me how to use the glock and worked with the kids . Teaching proper usage .
I was scared but not too much . It was so loud! Even with ear protection . But I did it .
Ethan shot more than me I think . Ansely just fired a couple and Tat fired one .she didn't like it . That's ok . I wanted her to try it .
I'm hoping and praying they now know how serious guns are and how powerful they are . Until today they only saw them in a few movies , like Courageous .

I need more practice of course . I would never kill anything or anyone . I do trust God with my whole heart . Lets face it the times we live in are awful . I'm blessed to live in a relatively safe area . We have a big dog that alerts us to anything .
I just feel its time to be prepared . I wouldn't shoot to kill anyone . But I guess in all honesty I don't know because I will protect my children no matter what . I pray to God I don't ever have to.
Here are a few photos from today .