I don't think people were "taking offense" at your picture, it is just that "fingers off the trigger" and "safety glasses" are so ingrained as safety rules, that when we see these safety measures not being taken it really jumps out at us.

I saw your picture, thought it was a great shot of a kid having a great experience, but immediately noticed the finger and lack of safety glasses.

Yea, I rode home from the hospital in my mother's arms instead of a DOT approved child seat. As kids we had cars without seatbelts, and when we got one with belts, they were tucked under the seat so they wouldn't jab us in the back. I rode all over the place on my bike without a helmet (the bike had no chain guard too). I played in a scrap yard with my siblings among rusted steel, lead pipes and asbestos shingles. I survived, but that doesn't mean my childhood could have been safer, and "safer" doesn't have to mean "over-protected."

In order to be effective, safety rules have to become "habit" -- teaching the basic rules to kids is a good way to develop those habits.

Safety is a matter of redundancy; the safety rule/device usually isn't needed unless something else goes wrong. You can shoot thousands of rounds through a firearm and never need your safety glasses, but fire that one more round and they could save your eye sight.

Rather than getting so "defensive" here about the picture, why don't you use it as a teaching experience for your kid (and maybe a learning one for you). Ask him if he can point out any safety rules that look like they aren't being followed in the picture. If he knows the most basic firearm safety rules, he should be able to point out the finger on the trigger. If he doesn't recognize it, I'd say he needs some basic safety training before being allowed to handle a firearm again.

He is not my kid and my kids are safe with their firearms, but thanks for your concern.

I don't really consider myself holier than anyone, but I'll use this as a "reality/perception" exercise and take your comment as a learning experience.

I commented because at the moment I'm in the midst of firearm training, and it is "close to the surface." And I also have a son about the same age so it hit a chord. Sorry you took it personally.

No problem Nostatic. I have to remind myself to laugh some of this stuff off as a male ego is a powerful beast to manage sometimes.:D

Have fun with your training.

I had my ego removed by my ex many years back. But then I replaced it with a superego a couple of months ago. My id is pissed, but what are ya gonna do?

cultivate the super id, thats when the fun starts! (They intentially didn't teach you about the super id in psych 101 for fear that you would burst out of class, run down the hall with your shirt un-tucked screaming at the top of your lungs that 'you don't need no education' only to be found at the co-op all hopped up on mega java latte's and snicker bars while playing a frenzied game of Space Invaders.)

Can I send my kids over from some fun?

I think I want to hang with Tim Hancock.