Venting .. stupid Wal-Mart checker, urgghhhh

Okay..the checker at Wal-Mart made me so mad!!

Tanner had money from the fair. He bought a truck, filled it up with gas, put $500 in the bank and bought a new hunting rifle. Now, I know a lot of people with think a hunting rifle is awful. Well last year Tanner put deer in our freezer that we ate. This family in this ecomony, needs all the help putting food on the table that we can. Some may say if he can afford a gun, then we can buy groceries. That is true, but that gun will last him a life time and also provide food for his family in years to come.

Now, the cashier at Wal-Mart who asked me if I thought it was proper to by my 13 year old a gun, has no right to ask me those questions. When Tanner said, I earned the money and she said to him you could put it in college fund instead of paying a firearm, had no right to do so. I understand that everyone has an opionion and many will differ with me on this one But, when I am at your business, I do not need a parenting lesson.

Tanner is 13, he has been involved in shooting sports since he was 8. He has been trained and on a team since that time. He has passed all levels of gun safety and can take a gun apart and put it back together. That being said, we also
practices all manners of gun safety in our home. Guns are locked up, ammo in another place. We trust Tanner, but you never know when a child who isn't trained may enter our home.

I guess my point is..who is a cashier to judge my parenting. I guess someone would be just as offended if they were buying formula for their baby and she told them that breast feeding was best.

Tanner earned his money by hard work. What he bought was better than a video game. He won't loose money. It was an investment.

People drive me crazy!!!!

Sorry for the rant..but I needed too!!

Oh I am right there with you!!! That is your kid and if you think at 13 he's responsible enough to have a gun, then gosh darn it he can have one!

Having grown up in a family where hunting put a lot of food on our table, I also agree with you 100% that it will pay for itself many times over. I personally tried hunting and hated it but I absolutely appreciate the value of having a good hunter in the family.

And congratulations to him for being so smart and responsible with his money. Given the opportunity, many kids his age and older would have wasted the money away and I think he made smart choices. Though I am curious why he chose to buy a truck? Is there somewhere he can drive it at his age or is it so he has it for when he can get his license?

He bought the truck as a project. He will be able to have is permit in 5 months. He can drive on the farm and hay field. He wanted a truck he can fix and work on. When he is 15 he can get his hardship license and drive to school and 4H functions. It was just an investment. He had the money and didn't want to wait until he was old enough to drive and not have the money. I did support him in that decision too. It's a nice truck for an older model and him and his dad will fix it up nice.

I would be livid too. The only reason I forsee that she would have any obligation to say anything is if he was purchasing it himself and had to be of a certain age in order to purchase the gun. I don't know what the laws are regarding firearms, so I don't even know if this is the case with hunting rifles. But, she wasn't even inquiring about his age, just his choice of purchase, and since you are his parent and you were with him when making the purchase, then I don't see how that is even an issue. She should have kept her opinions to herself. You're right, it's just like those that try to push their opinion about breastfeeding, cloth diapering, sleeping, or any other parenting decision on you and it annoys me when someone passes judgement.

I think you are raising a responsible young man, and you should be very proud.

I would be very angry too! I hate it when total strangers tell me what I should or should not be letting my kids do. Sometimes I wish I could just tell people to mind their own business, but I'm too non-confrontational.

I say good for Tanner - it sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders! I'm especially impressed at a 13 year old buying a truck to work on - and it sounds like he'll be able to use it pretty soon too. Here a 13 year old can get a farmer's permit and is allowed to drive farm machinery and farm related vehicles on the road.

Oh wow - I didn't realize they could drive so young there! Here you have to be 16. Though we may have the farmer's permits here as well and I just don't know about them.

Here you can get your learners permit at 14 . Its so the farm kids can help their parents in the field, but what you do for some, you do for all, so we have a lot of 14 year olds driving around.

As for the checker, sounds like Management needs a letter. That is completely uncalled for. If he is underage and buying it for him self, that is one thing, but to comment on how he chooses to spend his $ is completely out of line. is she lecturing every obese person that goes through the line on their grocery choices too? and every teen mother? ridiculous. You do not have to explain yourself to anyone.

Write a nasty letter to management.

Yes I would be livid too... You are his mom YOU are the one that decides if he is mature enough to have a gun. Im sure if he was not the teenage boy he is you wouldnt of gotten it...

AND buying a firearm in walmart in the states... it just amazes me to know how diff our countries are about things like that. I remember going to Great Falls Montana with marcus on our honeymoon and we walked into a sporting department store in a mall and was stunned to see the firearms you can buy... How old can tanner be when he can get his own gun on his own?

I agree. This was the same way in my family and many of our extended family. The girls were never allowed to go hunting (mothers were) but the boys were as long as they took safety courses and they did. She had NO reason to judge you at all!

I don't know how you restrained yourself from going off on that lady. Bc wow.

Personally, I think your son has a great head on his shoulders and he's something to be proud of.

I think 18 for a rifle and 21 to BUY a handgun. But you can own at 18. It may be 21 to buy either but 18 to own.