They also know how to make fire.

This was going to be a comment on Uncle's post about a 10 year-old shooting a home invader in the face, but it got too long, so here it is.

Teach your children responsibility and respect for dangerous things, and they'll be safer than otherwise.

Also they'll be more useful.

Because of this story, I made sure #2 knows which is the SKS and how to get the ammunition for it, in case I ever need to tell him to go & fetch for me.

. . . he already knows how to lay hands on the Glock, but he's too weak to cycle the action . . .

. . . and he knows that, whenever he wants, he can fondle any of the guns he wants, for as long as he wants, as long as he asks first.

. . . and he knows that, if he ever touches any of the guns without asking first, he will be turned inside-out and be unable to sit for a week. My children have faith in me. Faith that I will make them regret doing a Very Bad Thing, more than they would enjoy doing it. This is as it should be. They are, therefore, extraordinarily well-behaved children.

Because things are dangerous is no reason to keep them from your children. It is your responsibility as a parent to mitigate the dangers. If the boy wants to ride a motorcycle, he'll do it after he knows that he could be, and how to avoid being, turned into a bloody smear on the concrete. He first used the dremel tool this year (5 years old) to help me cut down the barrel shroud of a rifle, after his instructor (me) made sure he knew what was happening and what could happen. Like me, he will be able to drive before WAY before he is legally old enough to.

A couple of months ago, I was single-digits of feet from a man who had never fired a battle rifle before, while he ran action drills on a hot range with me. I made sure the risks both he and I took were minimized to the point of acceptability.

Danger: up to a point, it makes life worth living. Past that point, up to another point, it makes life scary as [deleted]. Past that point, you're dead*.

Let your children do dangerous things. They will become more-complete people for it. Just make sure you do your job first.

(besides which, you never know when some politically incorrect knowledge might come in handy. Like if you need driven to the hospital from the middle of nowhere. Or if someone kicks the door in and you're not there.)

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* can you be the source of your own Quote of the Day?