I don't know didly about kids, and don't want to. But, it seems to me that kids only know what you teach them (or fail to) and can only be entrusted with what they have learned to use and to respect.

I was pretty self sufficient when I was 10 or 12, and know kids now that can be trusted with a gun and a truck on a ranch. But I, and those kids I know now, were pushed pretty hard. Many of my parent's friends thought way too hard at the time -- but at least in that respect, I don't think so.

One thing that my parents and extended family did that brought on much criticism was that it was never a game. I was taught that life was deadly serious from day one. Now, the idea seems to be that in order to learn, it has to be turned into "fun." Fun is greatly over rated. Screw video games.