About a month ago, I found this child’s bow. At the time, I was at war with the local ground squirrels, who had eaten a few of our sack lunches. I used to bow to thin the numbers a bit and then threw it in the back of the car.
Teo (pronounced Tay-oh – our oldest boy), noticed the bow a few weeks ago. He showed some interest, but I didn’t give it to him. He’s four and his attention can be fleeting. I thought I’d hold onto the bow until he was a little older. However, when I got home from work last night, he asked me about the bow. I put him off about it again, but he kept on, insisting that I find it in my car and show him how to use it.
I’m a strong proponent of teaching the responsibilities of life early on. I got my first gun when I was six and my dad instilled in me how important it was to be responsible with such a tool. By eight, I could load, shoot and clean a .22 rifle. Do I think six is a little young? Depends on the kid, frankly. But it isn’t about guns; it is about responsibility. I think that no matter what tool you teach your youngsters to use, be it a bow, jack knife, gun, etc., you must hammer the responsibility and possible repercussions that come along with the tool.
I know that as some of you are reading this, you’re wholeheartedly disagreeing with me about the above paragraph. That’s fine. You are entitled to your opinion. However, instead of listening to whatever pop-psychologist is popular at the moment, I try to take my advice from history-proven sources. Why? We’ve been in this “modern” era of grocery stores, fast food and television for about 60-70 years. In relation to the age of the human race, this era hasn’t proven itself as viable or reliable. For many thousands of years we were hunting and gathering. Children started helping the family at very early ages. Today, families are lucky if children pitch in at all.
V.E. Lynch, a famous guide and trapper, stated in one of his books that boys should have their own trap line at seven years of age. Lynch was born in 1884 and did most of his writing in the 1930′s. Seven. Year. Old. I think that children are much more capable than our current society dictates.
So I put the bow in Teo’s hands, expecting him to not have the strength to control the basic mechanics needed to shoot the bow.
I was wrong.
I showed him that he should always hold the bow in his left hand. He should always draw with his right. I showed him how to notch the arrow on the string and how I usually guide the arrow with my left index finger. I showed him twice, told him my expectations for safety and then stepped back.
He isn’t a crack shot, but he is a keen learner. It is time for the boy to be in lessons.
Pax Domini Sit Semper Vobiscum,
Mike Oscar Hotel
The Tiny Homesteaders
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I've seen footage of kids in Africa hunting small game at two and three years old with a bow. We have to stop telling people what they can't do, I guess.
