To be clear, I am not trying to be argumenative, and agree that we all have to make our own choices.
The thing is though, I don't think a lot of people understand the scale of recoil and its effects on peoples size. I know I sure didn't, but am learning. My first small daughter shot a light easy to handle 243, and only shot it enough to make sure it was zerod for her. Shooting lots of 22lr in between. This is a rifle that to me had no recoil, but watching her shoot it was every dramatic. She developed a serious flinch, that I didn't even notice until she missed a couple animals. She has grown a lot, and done lots of shooting since then, but when given the chance to shoot that rifle the other day made excuses to not shoot it.....
I agree that shooting fundamentals transfer from rifle to rifle, but they absolutely need to be able to be comfortable with the rifle that they are going to be packing through the woods.
I agree that brakes can work, especially paired with adequate hearing protection, if there is such a thing? But with the brakes, many guys think they can brake something with 270 level recoil and it should be good to go for smaller kids. I have not seen this work, as recoil is still too much. Somewhere about 243 level recoil with a good brake works pretty good, but not for the smaller new shooters.
I have also done the reduced loading, specifically in 243, and that has worked out as far as practice, but gives lower than 233tmk results on game. Also creates a whole bunch of extra work for me, time that we could just spend shooting.