My son has been taught firearm safety since he was 3. Used a walther p22 airsoft pistol as our training tool. Kept it locked up in my gun safe. At 6 years old we started target practicing with a 22LR rifle and then my AR when he was 8. He is now 12 and knows more about firearms and how to safely handle them than most adults. He can now safely handle any of my small and large caliber firearms. Which is done under adult supervision.

Truth is that firearms are a tool. And when taught to handle them with care and not look at then as a scary prop in a movie, firearms can be very pleasurable family hobby.

Anytime someone says that their first time using a firearm gave them PTSD or scared them. It is because they went into that situation with that mindset and had zero knowledge or ambition to learn about that firearm.