I always pattern my guns for kids except my oldest recoil never has bothered him since he first started shooting at around age 8 with a 12ga and 30.06 and neither where youth models and he alway performed well at the range and has NEVER missed in the field hunting deer or turkey, he is 18 now, with him it is one shot one kill. Wish I could shot as good as him.

My middle son was a little scared of the 12ga so I done just as you suggested with him, let him shot very light loads. Then went turkey hunting with the 3" and he harvested his first bird on opening morning, he said he never felt the gun.

Recoil at the range is nothing like what you feel when you are all pumped up when shooting at game.