man I know what you are going thorugh, when I was 10 my father bought me an H&R .410 shotgun for christmas, and that little sucker kicked like a mule for being a "kids" model. He took me into a hayfield and let me shoot it. Well after the first shot I was headin back acrossed the field towards home with tears in my eyes! It was because I didnt have any hearing protection on and didnt know what to expect. By summer, I was shooting trap (a little closer than the big boys) on a regular basis at the gun club with hearing protection!!! Give it time and be patient with him (which its sounds like you are). Side note, my father that day in the hayfield didnt say a word to me, but the look on his face wasnt pleasant. I just wished he would have been more understanding. That could have turned me off of shooting for life.