The Oasis - A spot for FORT parents

[hepcat]

My point: education is key. Don't look the other way and pretend guns don't exist in people's houses. But do make sure your kids know they're not to be played with, ever. That's not going to magically make your kids safe from other children who don't know what they're doing, but it may give them enough knowledge and conviction to defuse a situation before it gets out of hand. Or at least to know to call you right away so they can get the hell out of a house where some "playing" like that is going on.

These are good points but if you have guns in your house we'd be meeting your kids in the park. It's a personal thing - I'm 100% emotionally driven by this. I still remember going to a memorial service in the 4th grade for a classmate who was shot by his younger brother at home.

I still freak out every time Oprah or whoever does one of those shows where they hide a gun in a room with a hidden camera, and the kids find it and start playing - even the kids whose parents thought their kids were clear on gun safety.

Since she's only 3 I'm in charge of her social life (poor kid) but I can see I will have to do some thinking about this in the next few years. We're barely over potty training, I didn't think I was going to survive!

[Paulie]

Meeting in a park is a good idea, too. You gotta do what makes you comfortable in protecting your kids. Turns out they could play in my house because I haven't followed Dad's example, but if I did have guns in my house, I wouldn't be offended at all if a parent told me they didn't want their child there.

[Tirlittan]

to Paulie about education being the key.

My father hunts a lot, and we had guns in the house. They were not locked away, back then there was no law to keep them locked. They were high up in a room in basement, but we knew where they were. Also my mom is a detective, so she had sometimes (rarely) her handgun at the house. I think living with guns, and knowing their proper use was the best education we could get regarding guns. None of us ever touched a gun without permission, not even my little brother (that anyone knows about anyway).

I am worried too about my kids realizing that guns really can be deadly because they never see guns used (for hunting). I banned all kinds of play/waterguns for a few years, but last year my son got a hockey game for birthday that uses waterguns to shoot the puck around, so that was the end of that ban regarding waterguns. Maybe my father will take the boys hunting once they grow up, so they see what guns really can do. (At least I was scared about guns seeing dead birds and animals hanging on the porch, even though they tasted mighty good.)

[Paulie]

These are good points but if you have guns in your house we'd be meeting your kids in the park.

BTW, although I agreed above that this is your prerogative as a parent, my earlier point is still valid, I think. You may NOT know if guns are in your kids' friends' houses. It's still important that they know what they are and what they can do. If they've got those lessons in mind, it can help them, even if you're not with them and an unexpected situation involving guns you weren't aware of should arise.

That being said, I realize I haven't adequately educated my own children at this point.

[Stargazer]

I hesitated even commenting on this because I know what a hot button topic it can be. However, I need to give a to Paulie and Tirlattan.

My dad always had guns in the house. We were educated from a young age on how to behave around guns and what damage a gun could do. We never touched them without supervision. I've always shot skeet and we target-shoot regularly. It's just a fun pasttime for my husband and I. And yes, we have guns in our home. I actually believe there are a few things you can do to make it safer.
1) Education, education, education. Don't assume your kids know the rules. Don't assume they know what guns can do. Show them. Teach them. Even if you don't have guns of your own.
2) Don't worry about seeming rude. Ask people about guns in their homes if it worries you. Better feel embarrassed for a few minutes than have your child injured or killed.
3) If you do own guns, keep them secured. Keep your ammunition secured elsewhere. Keep trigger locks on your guns and keep the keys to all of it on yourself. Don't leave them laying around the house. Treat every gun as if its loaded, but don't keep guns loaded in your house.

That's what we try to do.

[spegs]

3) If you do own guns, keep them secured. Keep your ammunition secured elsewhere. Keep trigger locks on your guns and keep the keys to all of it on yourself. Don't leave them laying around the house. Treat every gun as if its loaded, but don't keep guns loaded in your house.

That's what we try to do.

Just a question, SG. For me, the only reason to have a gun would be in case there was an intruder. But I've always felt that, in order for a gun to be effective in case of a break in, it would have to be easily accesible and either loaded or with ammunition handy. So, with kids, the gun is definitely out for me. Maybe you keep guns for different reasons, but if not, what would you do if someone broke in? Would you bluff with an empty gun, or could you get to your ammunition?

I have an anquaintence who shot an intruder last year and saved his wife and toddler's life. Which is good. But he kept his gun loaded in his bedside table--and he has a three year old. Maybe it saved their lives, but still--YIKES.

(My husband thinks a gun safe is the answer, but I've never seen one that has all the safety features I want.)

[Stargazer]

To be honest, we keep guns for recreation, not for protection. Well, protection to a certain extent. We live out in the country and have wild dogs and snakes and such to contend with. So, it's nice to know that we have the means to take care of things like that.

As far as intruders are concerned, my own personal opinion is that it's a bad idea to try to take one on. It's too easy to have your weapon taken away and used on you.
I don't want to get into specifics on a message board, but we do have keep a loaded *clip* at the ready so that one of our guns can be ready to fire quickly, just in case. However, like I said, I don't really consider that the best thing to do for an intruder unless I truly thought it was the only solution. I definitely don't think that people who don't normally use guns should keep one just for that purpose. That's just my opinion, though.

[Paulie]

I've had nightmares about that situation myself. I'm a good shot at paper targets, but I don't have 100% confidence I wouldn't screw up badly or just freeze if someone was coming at me. And a person like that wouldn't hesitate to use my weapon on me in that situation. Because of that, I just figure it's probably best to not have one around for that purpose.

I don't doubt my dad would be just fine defending himself in that situation, and that's why he keeps the loaded one within hand's reach every night.

[spegs]

Thanks, SG. I agree. If I ever want to recreate with guns, Mr. Spegs's best friend has more weapons than an arms dealer, and he has no problem with sharing. (My kids meet his kids at the park).

[spegs]

I've had nightmares about that situation myself. I'm a good shot at paper targets, but I don't have 100% confidence I wouldn't screw up badly or just freeze if someone was coming at me. And a person like that wouldn't hesitate to use my weapon on me in that situation. Because of that, I just figure it's probably best to not have one around for that purpose.

I don't doubt my dad would be just fine defending himself in that situation, and that's why he keeps the loaded one within hand's reach every night.

I've always heard a baseball bat is pretty effective in most situations. I keep two under my bed. One wooden, one aluminum.