Hunting and shooting have been a part of my parenting life for many years. Kids have taken hunter safety courses. They have joined a shooting 4H and go to gun ranges often. We even purchased a gun safe to keep everyone safe.
One year, when two of my sons were 13 and 10, we had a pesky varmint. A rabbit, he hopped around our yard and ate our garden. They decided they were going to get this rabbit, in the act of eating our garden. They loaded their BB guns and sat under a tree. Basically, staking out the rabbit.
I thought it was great and these boys were safe, so I headed to the grocery store. When I drove up, the rabbit was in the garden, and the boys were eyeing him with the BB guns. He was down. I dropped the groceries and ran to help. I sent one for the sharpest knife they could find and one for the booklet about field dressing rabbits. We took the rabbit to the far reaches of the yard, and following the book, this Mama field dressed her first and last animal. Why I did it instead of one of the boys, I have no idea, maybe because they had never done it before, but neither had I. Go figure — the adrenaline of the moment ruled the day.
They were so proud of their work, saving the family garden and putting their skills to use. I was so proud of them, sitting out so long waiting for the moment. We were excited to be a team. We bagged the rabbit and froze it for future eating — that’s what hunters do. The best part was allowing all of them to stay up until Dad got off work at midnight to tell him their story. I have a picture of all the boys standing around a smiling Dad still holding his lunchbox. One of them had actually pulled the rabbit out of the freezer to tell the story.
From there, our hunters grew. We had the “if it’s brown it’s down” years. We learned how to process our own deer meat. I learned how to cook venison. I learned how to cook squirrel.
That pesky varmint that was in our garden started us on a great learning project for our whole family. We knew gun safety, some kids didn’t choose to shoot, but they all knew that you treat every gun as if it is loaded, know your target and beyond.. etc. If they saw someone being unsafe with a gun they spoke up.
Homeschooling is not just about math programs and grammar, it is also about allowing your children to develop some interests and to go on adventures together!
Coffee with Titaw 