Sara T. Jack paint

As continue I work on my latest AR-15 rifle build, my kids like to watch. They sit on the stool next to me and ask what I’m doing. My son holds my screwdriver and offers me his plastic hammer to help with the lower. They watch diligently as I test the trigger and even said, “Wow!” seeing and hearing the telltale snap of the hammer slamming forward. They also help me keep my cool . . .

After scuffing the finish near the bolt catch while easing in the pin, I couldn’t cuss or yell the way I really wanted to. They were right there, watching. Instead, I meekly said, “Uh oh.” My daughter asked, ” Are you OK, mommy?” while my son jumped in, “I’ll help fix it, mommy!”

My son watched me paint the details on some of the engravings today. As I finished, he asked what part is next. I told him we are waiting for the stock and buffer tube to get here. He excidedly ran to the front door and flung it open, saying he’d watch for the truck to bring the “butter tube” for mommy’s gun.

A side benefit of the project is that it gives me an opportunity to teach them about guns. They get to see the work that goes into building something and experience doing it together.

A few have asked why I don’t wait until they’re in bed so they won’t be exposed to the “weapon of war” I’m constructing near my laptop and essential oil diffuser. My answer: “Because they see a gun on my hip all day. They know what guns are and they know basic safety because we talk about it and I’m always armed. Hiding what I’m doing will just result in more curiosity.”

And my rifle still has a long way to go. It’s as much a paperweight right now as it is a weapon of war. 

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I’m for anything that opens up a dialog with your children and provides another opportunity to have them ask questions and listen to your answers. The subject doesn’t really matter, but particularly if it’s gun-related. It gives me a chance to get to them before they’re exposed to media-generated anti-gun propaganda

The other day, I was working on my lower and talking to my daughter while “Sleeping Beauty” was on in the background. She said, “If Sleeping Beauty had a gun, she wouldn’t have had to prick her finger and die. She could have protected herself from Maleficent.”

It’s so easy, even a four-year-old gets it.

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27 COMMENTS

  3. If I can’t fix it with a hammer and screwdriver, I’m boned. What’s with your selecter?

    Mine said Safe, Semi, Full in that order.

  6. My 10 year old daughter helped build an AR. She really wanted to put the trigger in so I helped her and she drove the pins in after I started them.

    Watching her go and shoot it for the first time was priceless, she learned how guns work and got to shoot one that she helped put together. I really enjoyed it too.

    We now have another lower and she wants to paint it pink once we get an upper.

  7. The new NRA just ran on FOX while I was reading this article. Excellent. It strikes a good medium between direct and compassion. And I understand how cussing and working on a firearm go together. I’ve been surprised how much fitting is required and how things get sold but aren’t quite right. Painting a recessed area and not pulling paint back out and or not screwing with the finish, yep, understand. So easy any idiot can do it. Right. [sarc]

  8. How sad to realize the anti gunners put the same amount of thought into their position on guns as a 4 year old (mostly feelings remember).

    And the 4 year old came to the more realistic conclusion.

  9. Great Article! I am interested in reading more about how kids who are raised with guns responsibly perceive and act around guns. It is something the MSM ignores and tries to paint with an anti-gun brush to most.

  12. Sooo……….we have a Mom who loves her daughter, shares quality time together on projects, breaks down artificial gender roles (guns are for boys only!), encourages legitimate gender expression (the pink cartridge icons are precious), who teaches her daughter valuable life skills and invaluable moral principles?

    I’d file this activity under “Top 10 Things That Are Right with America”, explain it as best as I could to the the un-/under-/misinformed crowd, and tell the outright haters where they can go and what they can do. Great article, Sara.

  13. I was the same way growing up. Guns were interesting and any time my dad opened the gun cabinet, I would be there to watch. He of course saw my curiosity and started training me. Your article brings back good memories of those interactions.

    AR-15s are blood thirsty creatures! Since they are alive, you know, they require blood in their manufacture. I still have the two cuts from my last two builds as they drew blood during assembly. They are very dangerous!

    /sarc for the dense people and antis

  15. My 4 yr old loves to help me clean my guns. Right now she’s in charge of holding the spray cans (with safety glasses of course), but she loves being a part of it.

  17. ” hearing the telltale snap of the hammer slamming forward”, next time place your hand in the way to catch the hammer as letting the hammer “slam” can damage your hammer and lower… otherwise great read.

  18. ““If Sleeping Beauty had a gun, she wouldn’t have had to prick her finger and die. She could have protected herself from Maleficent.”

    It’s so easy, even a four-year-old gets it.”

    Too bad so many (supposedly) adults can’t! I find this to be true in many other areas as well. Children are open minded and truthful, provided their parents have not yet beaten those great qualities out them, in favor of lying like rugs, and pretending they didn’t when caught.

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