Grays anatomy gun episode

[clearconscience]

So I'm embarassed to say because of my wife I watch Grays anatomy. Tonight's episode was about two 8yr olds that found one of their mother's guns and one of them accidentally gets shot in the stomach and paralyzed.
And of course most of it is about how we don't need guns, guns are bad, blah, blah, blah. And it was really hard to watch the liberal rhetoric in it.

But the one good thing is it's a reminder about making sure your weapons are locked up and out of your children's reach.

So where's the line between keeping firearms handy for protection and keeping them secure from your little ones?
I have two handguns not in my safe and available for protection. They are well out of reach from my 3 1/2 year old, but I know much sooner than anyone ever expects.

What do you guys and girls do with your firearms and children?

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[The B]

We haven't really sweated it. Guns are a part of our collective life, and my kids aren't fascinated by them... no more than hammers in the hammer drawer or knives in the knife drawer. If you take the mystique out of 'em, kids don't bubblegum with 'em. And when they don't bubblegum 'em, they don't shoot people with them.

My kids know they have access to guns any time they want to look, touch, strip n clean, or shoot - though since we live in the city, that's unfortunately less doable. Wish we lived somewhere they could just go shoot off the back porch... someday! Not in this market, though.

I mean, I don't leave guns just lying out on the coffee table, where my younger ones could just wander up and start bubbleguming with them.. but my older ones know where to quickly grab a gun if a situation developed.

 

[nammac]

For me the solution has been to keep it on my person... Yup conceal carry in the house... When it is not on my person, it is safely secured either in the safe, or locked away in a Penquin case...

My now 7 year old has no clue I carry a sidearm, and we are very physical in our play. I simply always divert contact away from it... It's worked for me...

 

[clearconscience]

I remember being introduced to them early in life around 5yrs or so. About the only memory I have of my dad when I was a kid, and my step father was into it too, but the safety aspect was always beat into my head.
And I knew as a kid where my stepdad kept his gun beside his bed. I looked at it a couple times but never touched it.

I had a healthy and knowledgable fear of them.

 

[The B]

We haven't really sweated it. Guns are a part of our collective life, and my kids aren't fascinated by them... no more than hammers in the hammer drawer or knives in the knife drawer. If you take the mystique out of 'em, kids don't bubblegum with 'em. And when they don't bubblegum 'em, they don't shoot people with them.

My kids know they have access to guns any time they want to look, touch, strip n clean, or shoot - though since we live in the city, that's unfortunately less doable. Wish we lived somewhere they could just go shoot off the back porch... someday! Not in this market, though.

I mean, I don't leave guns just lying out on the coffee table, where my younger ones could just wander up and start bubbleguming with them.. but my older ones know where to quickly grab a gun if a situation developed.

To add on this, one critical decision we made early on in our parenthood: the kids aren't allowed to "play" guns. They don't have toy guns, they're not allowed to make finger guns or improvise guns out of sticks or legos or anything else... they're not allowed to pretend shoot each other or make jokes about it. Because guns ain't toys - they're serious business. So even if, say, the younger ones decided to bubblegum around with one... they don't associate guns with play. So no "pretend" accidentally actually shooting anyone.

Just a theory... but we think we made the right call. Nobody's been shot in 12 years and 6 kids with a housefull of blasters, anyway.

 

[The B]

I remember being introduced to them early in life around 5yrs or so. About the only memory I have of my dad when I was a kid, and my step father was into it too, but the safety aspect was always beat into my head.
And I knew as a kid where my stepdad kept his gun beside his bed. I looked at it a couple times but never touched it.

I had a healthy and knowledgable fear of them.

Word.. this too. Even with their BB guns, the moment they violate one of the 4 Rules or range safety rules they're done for the day. I'm not a dick about it - I just seize the weapon and announce the offender is done. No second chances, no excuses. Muy importante.

 

[RLS]

To add on this, one critical decision we made early on in our parenthood: the kids aren't allowed to "play" guns. They don't have toy guns, they're not allowed to make finger guns or improvise guns out of sticks or legos or anything else... they're not allowed to pretend shoot each other or make jokes about it. Because guns ain't toys - they're serious business. So even if, say, the younger ones decided to bubblegum around with one... they don't associate guns with play. So no "pretend" accidentally actually shooting anyone.

Just a theory... but we think we made the right call. Nobody's been shot in 12 years and 6 kids with a housefull of blasters, anyway.

This is what i was going to ad to what you had said in your first post. No toy gun play for our two girls either, They knew we would take them shooting anytime they wanted.

This worked great for us and they are now in their late twenties raising their own families.

 

[PaulB47]

Massad Ayoob has figured out the method years ago:
http://www.amazon.com/Gun-Proof-Children-Massad-Ayoobs-Handgun/dp/0936279052

Other than that, when my son was around toddler stage, I always kept any pistols "empty chamber" - including the one I carried - because the youngest kids (who generally don't have a lot of sense yet) cannot rack a slide. Just as a back-up to Ayoob's method. Do NOT assume you will never make any mistakes on letting kids access your guns. Real human beings goof all the time.

My son first got instruction about shooting when he was 5 years old. He always knew he could go shoot or look at guns any time he pleased, as long as I was there. He never had any incentive to go behind my back.

Keep in mind that, just because your kid is instructed as Ayoob recommends, does not mean his friends are. Keeping guns more locked up than normal (i.e., not leaving them hidden around the house) still makes a lot of sense.

 

[clearconscience]

I think that's part of the key is basic common sense when it comes to safety.
Always assume the gun is loaded.
Always assume your kid is smarter than you.
My daughter is really smart when it comes to figuring things out. When she was about 2 years old as I was getting dressed she found my safe key for the safe in my closet and as I came around the corner she had it in the key hole. Luckily it's was hard to turn because it would hang up.

And even luckier, I had bought a new larger safe for the garage and had already moved all the guns in there.
(Which is why my key was accessible)

Kids are way smarter than we ever want to give them credit for, and they are always watching and learning from what we do.

My 3 1/2 year old already has a better memory than me and reminds of stuff.

 

[Joe13]

Depends on your kid.

I would have found them because I was fascinated by them before age 4, BUT ANYTIME I wanted to examine them my grandfather always made time to sit in a room with me. My mom was smart to never have ammo in the house growning up cuz my dad had a .22 and 12ga from his childhood in the closet.


I kept guns out of sight when my kid was growing up out of respect for my wife and her fears, but also had knives laying around everywhere and my daughter was taught that those are mine and not to be touched by her - she was the kind of kid that followed the "rules" so they just had to be laid down clearly.

She is 18-19 now and I leave my CC on the end table or dinning room table with my extra mag and other EDC stuff. No safety on, no safe but just sitting there.

If my daughter was prone to suicidal issues then that would be a no go for guns but that's not the case here.

I think everyone is different and thier family dynamics play a huge part in what is "responsible" as far as gun storage goes.

 

[Joe13]

I think that's part of the key is basic common sense when it comes to safety.
Always assume the gun is loaded.
Always assume your kid is smarter than you.
My daughter is really smart when it comes to figuring things out. When she was about 2 years old as I was getting dressed she found my safe key for the safe in my closet and as I came around the corner she had it in the key hole. Luckily it's was hard to turn because it would hang up.

And even luckier, I had bought a new larger safe for the garage and had already moved all the guns in there.
(Which is why my key was accessible)

Kids are way smarter than we ever want to give them credit for, and they are always watching and learning from what we do.

My 3 1/2 year old already has a better memory than me and reminds of stuff.

Good point.

Around 2 I was with my mom when she went to fill a prescription and asked for non-child safe tops.

The pharmacy employee looked at me and said no.

My mom asked for a child proof container and lid. Gave it to me. I played with it for 20-30 seconds and had the cap off.

She got her whole order without childproof lids.

I don't remember this but I've heard the story all my life.

 

[clearconscience]

Yeah luckily my wife grew up on a corn farm in ohio.
Her dad still has guns everywhere.
Behind every door there is at least 4 rifles, most of the time they are loaded. Probably has 40 guns just laying around the house in open view, along with the ammo. He's cleaned it up a bit since the grand kids started coming, but not much.

Kinda funny actually.

 

[Member 5605]

Wife watched that... I happen to catch some of it.

I was furious.

Especially at the end where they tossed up The Brady group and how they should contact them for information. That's like asking a pedophile how to secure a school.


My children know... That unless we are at a range, leave them alone. The fear of God is in them (Hebrew: pachad/yir'ah Yehovah) about messing with them.

Besides, they are in a safe except the instant access one in a quick access handgun safe.

 

[clearconscience]

Yeah that brady commercial was just the icing on the cake.

What a joke. Schools, doctors, media, now our programming is all aimed at propaganda.

"Free" society it is.

 

[BigBull 301]

Yep, you just can't get away from the BS unless you unplug and get outside.....alone.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Dudes watch that show? Ha!

 

[BigBull 301]

Yeah......it keeps the little woman happy.

 

[clearconscience]

Well I never liked it, but my wife does and I make her watch all my shows walking dead, deadliest catch, cars shows, so I have had to watch hers.
You know that whole compromise in marriage deal.
I did, However, put a quick and abrupt stop to the kardashians and whatever crazy mom child garbage is on TLC.

She still has to watch say yes to the dress all the time though.

 

[2A2Dend]

I kept everything locked up when the kids were younger. As they became more mature, I brought out the .22's. My boy recalled his cap guns he had in earlier years. He LIKED shooting the .22. After that, he had no longer any interest in guns. Even today, he has no interest....yet. I'm working on that. The daughter, she was about the same after the .22's. I let her try any of them. Including the handguns. Now the kids are gone. It's free reign for the bang hammers....till we get visitors.

My dad did with me as well, until deer hunting come to play, I was taken to the range prior and got to shoot everything I cared too, in preparation of selecting the right rifle for me. Some of the guns, boy, did I HURT the next day. My dad never had to lock anything up with me. The curiosity was no longer lingering, and I eventually come to acquire a few of my own while in my early teens. From there on out, I was a deer, elk, bear, grouse hunting machine. I couldn't wait for the seasons to arrive.

 

[Joe13]

I was a deer, elk, bear, grouse hunting machine. I couldn't wait for the seasons to arrive

Hook a feller up!

Always looking for someone to hunt with.