Growing up fast

kw: observations, culture, personal growth

Every generation, people say, "Kids sure grow up fast these days." Sometimes it is even true.

This forenoon I listened to a dialog on the radio, about guns and firearm education. One man spoke of growing up in Virginia. He had sex education in sixth grade, and a "hunter safety" class in seventh grade. His colleague expressed her amazement that 13-year-old kids were taught to handle guns, since they can't legally buy them prior to age 18. The man defended the practice, saying that many parents took their kids, both boys and girls, out shooting from pretty early ages. I agree with this: if there is a gun in the house, and if a youngster is strong enough to pull the trigger, he or she ought to be taught how to safely handle the firearm. In many places I've lived, there are firearms in at least half the homes.

In this picture taken about 1932, my father and his favorite cousin were photographed by the cousin's father just as they were going out into the field to do some "plinking" (shooting at tin cans), probably under the father's supervision, but maybe not. My father was ten years old at the time, and his cousin, holding the pistol, was nine.

This was the same year my father first drove a car, with some help from his dad. Kids (at least boys) his age were expected to be able to take a turn with the tractor. With that in mind, I began to teach my son to drive when he was twelve. We have only stick shift autos, and it takes a bit longer to learn to use them. But mainly, I wanted him to have a few years of experience before he took the official driver training course and got his license. I think it worked out; he is a good driver (now 22).