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More Women, Children Taking Gun Training Classes

by KREX News Room
by Angela Scott

Story Created: Jul 21, 2012 at 6:29 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jul 23, 2012 at 12:42 PM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- It's not just men learning to protect themselves. Kids and women are coming out in large numbers to learn defensive tactics as well.

Children who have family members in the military went through their own training this weekend as a part of a family systems program with the Colorado National Guard. They learned everything from CPR to night vision, to rope climbing and gun training.

Amy Nolan, an Army Reserve officer, brought her two boys to the event. "It's training stuff that they don't grasp, what it is that we do so it's been really nice because they've actually been able to do the simulators with the rifles and it's kind of like, cool mom gets to do this kind of stuff, said Nolan.

Jesse Eakley, the general manager of Cabela's, said, "We've got a lot of focus right now towards our female clientele and our youth; that seems to be a real big focus. They seem to be getting more involved not only just in the outdoors but in shooting, and a little more interest in home defense."

In light of the recent shooting in Aurora, Cheryl Young, a child and family therapist, said there are certain ways to discuss the event with children. When speaking with children who are preschool to early elementary school aged, she says to wait for them bring it up and to respond with small amounts of information as to not overwhelm or distress them.

When discussing the shootings with older elementary and middle school aged children, Young says to listen to their questions and reassure the kids that they are safe. High school aged kids should be asked what they think and feel about the situation.

Eckley says in order to purchase a gun in the state of Colorado, buyers must be 21 and older and 18 and older to buy any other firearms.

Cabela's also does a background check on all people purchasing firearms.

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Matthew said on Saturday, Aug 18 at 6:13 AM

I think it's WONDERFUL! One of the reasons that kids get hurt with guns is that they have no early-years training. This should be a state wide program, not just for military families. Oh, and when kids ask about the Aurora shooting, the parents should say, "Some insane lady started a group that believes that you can stop a killer by disarming his victims. Then she made other people crazy like her, and they started to pass laws that get people killed. In other words, she should blame the persons responsible.

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