Even if you choose to not have guns in your home, teaching your child gun safety is a must. Kids can encounter guns in all sorts of settings, and if they understand gun safety a tragedy can be avoided. When kids see guns as forbidden and mysterious objects, they are more likely to be curious and mishandle a gun if they come across one. If you do keep guns in the home, store them safely. Do not make the mistake of believing you can hide a gun from your child.
Basic Gun Safety Rules for Kids
Whether you have guns in your home or not, teach your kids what to do if they come across an unfamiliar gun, especially in a public place or on the playground.
- Do not touch it or pick it up.
- Tell an adult right away.
Teach your children about safe gun handling. Even if you prefer that your children not handle guns, they need to know. Many of these rules apply to adults, too:
- Always treat every gun as if it were loaded, even if you unloaded it yourself.
- Never point a gun at another person or animal. Do not look down the barrel or point it at yourself.
- Never accept a gun from someone else until they have shown you that it is unloaded.
- Even then, check it yourself to make sure you know it is unloaded.
- Do no handle a gun unnecessarily.
- Always treat guns with care. Do not throw, drop, or play with them.
- If you have a gun in your home, do not show it off or tell people about it.
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