I would say do what your father did. I remember shooting a 22 bolt action with my father at 5 years old. I remember the smell in the air after a discharge. I remember watching tiny pieces of the bullet itself being shaved off as I chambered a round. I remember the smell of the Hoppys when he taught me how to clean a rifle. And through it all I could just tell by his demeanor that this was something you had to treat with great respect. Without him ever saying a word he conveyed that first and foremost you had to act with caution, a clear mind, respect, and always keep the safety of others and yourself in mind.
Then when I was about 9 my uncle, who was career Navy, taught me how to fire a 1911. I have a picture of myself with him at the Boston Navy Yard firing a .45.
Kids that don't have a father need to find an NRA member who can get ahold of an instructor for them. They need to learn in a formal setting.
BSB
