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