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...my Dad had a Rem .22 pump loaded atop the kitchen cabinets all the time...would not take me out in the woods 20 steps to teach me to shoot...when he went to town, or out to mow, I'd take it down, load and unload it, aim...then put it back...I was 13 1/2 when he died...I knew his gun better'n he did...kids are smarter than we give them credit for...it would have been much better if I'd learned from him/with him...but I learned, nevertheless...the mystery and wonder are gone when Dad teaches...I taught my boys from about 5 the feel/weight of a real vs. play gun...what to do and not do if they ran across one...by 8 they were shooting...by 10 better than me...they have eagles' eyes...24, 22, 18 now and all their gun experiences have been good ones...I will go so far as to say that I kept the house gun in a lockbox till they'd shot it...then they had the combo, too...and woe to who comes to this house and finds one of them here...they've never been helpless and their mother, who din't want anything to do with guns, was well protected, and never knew it...

...my three were shooting Ruger .45s at that age...my youngest with eagle's eyes was out-shooting me with a 4" Ruger .357 with .38 rounds...if he likes .22...go for it...but if he likes something a bit more powerful, as long as he has the safety rules down, why not?