| As a firearm instructor, you might not | | | | some point in her life she will find the gun |
| believe how many times I hear from someone | | | | safe keys. |
| that they would like to own a gun, but their | | | | |
| spouse will not allow it because they have | | | | For the second step, we have taught her the |
| kids in the house. On a grand scale, I | | | | NRA's Eddie Eagle gun safe rules. This |
| understand and agree with the REASONING | | | | strategy was to teach the child what to do if |
| behind this feeling. It's a parent's job to | | | | they find a gun. The rules are simple and |
| keep their children safe, and no one wants to | | | | effective. Eddie Eagle says if the child sees |
| bring something into the home that is | | | | a gun they should: stop, don't touch, leave |
| dangerous to their child. | | | | the area, and tell an adult. These rules are |
| | | | particularly important, as over 50% of |
| However, while I agree with wanting to keep | | | | American households have firearms. If she is |
| children safe from harm, I must disagree with | | | | visiting a friend's house, we do not want her |
| the blanket thought that guns in the home are | | | | to try to tell another child not to play with |
| by themselves inherently dangerous. With | | | | a gun, as that might cause that child to |
| proper education, storage, and supervision, | | | | point the gun at our child in order to tease |
| firearms are no more dangerous than any other | | | | her. We want her safely away from any |
| tool. I am not in the habit of making broad | | | | unsecured gun, not to act like she is in |
| demands on how others should act. Generally, | | | | charge of it. |
| I teach options and tell the reasons for | | | | |
| using each of those options. I can tell you | | | | The last thing we do is take away her |
| how I deal with this issue of guns in my home | | | | curiosity. My wife and I took her to the |
| with my child and hopefully give prospective | | | | range, and she watched her momma shoot a |
| to other parents who question guns in the | | | | pistol. I sat with our child and explained to |
| home. | | | | her about guns and answered all her |
| | | | questions. This did not work too well because |
| When I was growing up, my parents were not | | | | even with hearing protection, my child |
| anti-gun, but they were anti-me-having-a-gun. | | | | thought the handguns were too loud. She did |
| There were guns in my home. My dad was a law | | | | not want to be around them. We then got her a |
| enforcement officer and as such always had at | | | | BB rifle. We let her shoot it when she asks |
| least one handgun in the home. My father | | | | to, but she doesn't really like it very much. |
| subscribed to the "old school" policy on kids | | | | Furthermore we don't force her, but she knows |
| and guns. Dad said, "Boy, I've got a gun in | | | | if she wants to shoot, she can as long as she |
| that closet, and if I ever catch you playing | | | | asks and her mother or I take her. |
| with it, you'll wish you hadn't". Well, being | | | | |
| the bright child I was, I figured that meant | | | | This works well for us. We keep the guns in a |
| as long as I applied my gun handling skills I | | | | locked safe and the ammo locked in a separate |
| learned on TV to keep me from accidentally | | | | room (this does not include our personal |
| firing the gun, and I put it back EXACTLY as | | | | carry firearms; they are kept out of reach |
| I found it, I could pose in the mirror in my | | | | but not locked up, as they are considered to |
| gunfighter stance whenever I was alone in the | | | | always be in use.). We taught our child |
| house. Luckily I never fired the pistol into | | | | firearm safety rules, particularly what to do |
| the mirror or myself. As I got older, dad did | | | | if they encounter a gun outside the home. |
| take me out shooting once or twice. We even | | | | Lastly, we took away her curiosity by |
| went hunting once, but they never let me have | | | | exposing her to firearms and what they can do |
| my own gun so I always had that curiosity. | | | | and allowing her the privilege to own her |
| | | | very own BB rifle that she can use when |
| I imagine that even if there were no guns in | | | | supervised. As she gets older, we plan on |
| my home and if my parents forbid me to even | | | | increasing her exposure to firearms, but at |
| mention guns, I would find someone to let me | | | | this point we think she is only ready for the |
| see one (It happened just like that with a | | | | basics. |
| motorcycle, but since mom still doesn't know | | | | |
| about that, we won't get into | | | | As the parent, you are the best judge of what |
| details…). The above two examples are | | | | your child is ready for. This is only a |
| the first two of the three most common | | | | guideline for when your child asks about guns |
| attitudes parents that I have spoke with have | | | | for the first time. For us, it was when my |
| toward children and guns. I subscribe to the | | | | wife told me to look out the window, and our |
| third. | | | | little girl was on the porch with a red |
| | | | rubber training pistol in one hand, a rubber |
| In my house we have a smart and independent 7 | | | | training knife in the other, and yelling "Pay |
| year old girl. She thinks for herself and is | | | | attention! I am trying to give you a class!" |
| not afraid to abandon what she has been told, | | | | to the family dog. My wife told me I created |
| if she thinks she knows better. What I have | | | | a monster. It was pretty cute though and |
| to do first is keep her from being able to | | | | served to reinforce in my mind the |
| access the firearms if she chooses to | | | | responsibilities I have toward being a |
| disregard my gun rules, This is not | | | | positive role model. If I am unsafe in my |
| foolproof. Kids have an uncanny ability to | | | | attitude toward guns, I can be sure my kid |
| find what they are looking for. I am sure at | | | | will take notice. |