When and How We Should Teach Our Children About Armed Defense

Almost all children are curious and impulsive and will want to know and handle those things that go bang. Thus, if you have firearms in the home, you must be prepared to prevent access from the day they arrive and begin teaching respect as soon as they become sentient. This will vary in time for every child. The same is true for determining when to begin teaching safety and ultimately marksmanship.

Exposure and education is the key to gun safety - not gun control.

I started shooting at age 12 with an NRA gun course shooting 22’s. When I had children my weapons were unloaded and trigger locked. The boys were instructed they weren’t toys and could hurt or kill them. If I ever caught them messing with them they new what would come next.
When they got a bit older they received a demo out on the farm on the difference between their toys and my firearms.
Later on in scouts they started with 22’s then to shotguns. After that, they would shoot skeet on the farm with me supervising.
Both are now safe firearm owners and handlers. #2 some keeps his rifle in my safe since he has 3 young children.