Stop The Violence encourages families to use healthy communication to strengthen bonds and combat the growing epidemic of youth violence, which was recently recognized as a public health issue by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The least-talked-about concern parents must confront today is safety from guns. Explain that if he ever comes across one—even if he thinks it might just be a pretend gun—that he should immediately leave the area and find an adult. On average, 19 children are killed or receive emergency treatment for gunshot wounds every day in the United States. Every gun owner should have safety training and regular practice to help ensure that he or she knows how to store and use the firearm safely. The children weren’t told that there was a gun in the room, the researchers were simply interested in whether the children would find the gun on their own, and if they did, what they’d do with it. They should come to respect a gun for what it is … Some people feel that keeping a gun at home will protect their family from an intruder. Make it clear that although your child may think he knows how to handle a gun safely, picking up a firearm could have deadly consequence. It’s something the schools use just in case of an emergency and for practice because practice makes perfect! Children when they are old enough to explain to them not to touch a gun because they are dangerous unless handled properly they are old enough to start teaching and learning about hunting and why. So, from now on, when you drop off your child at a friend’s house to play, it’s your job to ask if the parents own guns. Introducing Children To Guns: Gun Safety 4th Grade And Up. NO TV SHOWS OR MOVIES THAT INVOLVE SHOOTING AND KILLING, learn, practice and teach gun safety rules. As a parent, you want to protect your child from all the scary things that are out there in the world. In 30 states, it’s legal for a child to possess a rifle or shotgun, which advocates say teaches them to use guns responsibly – but critics see it laying a path for danger Alert an adult if they see a child near or touching a gun and always leave immediately. There was a loaded bb gun by the back door and one by the front door. So the likelihood that a neighbor, friend, or family member has a gun—possibly unsecured—in their house is pretty high. Suggest he say something like, “This is boring. When he/she gets older and masters the fundamentals of shooting, like: stance, breathing techniques, aiming, target acquisition, etc—moving him/her up to a shotgun is easier. In fact, another adult will likely appreciate that you’re bringing up such an important subject. Well, there may not be one. Wary of falling on the wrong side of school policies, many parents attempt to squelch all toy gun play at home, lest it follow kids to … Not a one of them had a lock. By doing so, the child takes control of the scary, albeit imaginary, situation. Preventable firearm-related deaths and injuries among children cost our society more than $3.7 billion per year. To understand the severity of the consequences that can come from improperly handling a gun, you should explain to your child that guns are powerful, and that irresponsible use of a firearm can lead to dire outcomes. Leaving guns unsecured – on a nightstand, table, or other place where a child can gain access – can lead to injuries and fatalities. This is responsible parenting! If your child has toy guns, you may want to use them to demonstrate safe gun handling and to explain how they differ from genuine firearms. Let’s go do something else.” If your child has a friend who offers to show him a gun, coach him to say something like, “Maybe later. The problem was that he was dealing in ideas and concepts, and virtually all of the present gunzines only want articles about products and services so that their advertising department can sell space and everyone can make money. By keeping the conversation open about guns, though, that’s exactly what you’re doing—protecting your child. This is his first published work. Some children fear monsters lurking behind doors and in closets; a child may zap the beast with a finger-turned-gun. The problem is that firearms can be found in one out of every 2 or 3 homes. As your child gets older, expand the conversation. Anything that a gun barrel is pointed at can and will die if the trigger is pulled. Also, don’t allow TV programs or movies with war themes or gun violence. Framing gun safety rules as something that all the other kids already know and practice will help cement their importance in a young person’s mind. Huntington urges parents to educate their children about guns. You wouldn’t show your kids how a bottle of Drain-O unclogs a drain and then leave the bottle laying around. Remind your teen that, by doing this, they could save lives and prevent a tragic situation. Children’s self-control is shaky, so if they come across a gun, they may not be able to resist trying out the trigger. You carefully teach them safety rules, such as how to cross the street, and you supervise them in risky situations, like playing around water, fire and stoves. The primary focus of the Get Unloaded Campaign is to educate parents and grand-parents about the proper storage of guns, use of trigger locks, and how to prevent access by minors. By keeping the conversation open about guns, though, that’s exactly what … Many school security experts, as well as law enforcement officials, estimate that, of the firearms students bring to school, 80 percent come from their homes. Educate your child about guns. “If no one’s telling a child what to do in a situation, they’re going to rely on their own [impulses],” says Huntington. The least-talked-about concern parents must confront today is safety from guns. While 75 percent of all parents and 88 percent of gun-owning parents have told their children what to do if they find a gun, only 39 percent have ever asked another parent how they store their guns, according to a survey by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. Start With Gun Safety As a general rule of thumb, you should begin teaching children about guns when they first show awareness or interest in them. Even when parents discourage violent play and never buy toy guns, children are endlessly imaginative and able to turn many objects (LEGOs, Tinkertoys, carrots) into pretend guns and play with them. Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. Every day about 75 American children are shot. Preschool-age children simply don’t grasp the difference between imaginative play with toy guns, or child-created guns, and the real thing. Remember, “if you see a gun, don’t touch it, get a grown-up, and leave the area.”. No matter what your stance is on gun ownership, and regardless whether you actually have a gun in your house, it’s important to talk to kids about guns. But I’ve decided it’s worth the risk of brushing someone the wrong way to make sure my children are safe. [That doesn’t mean] the top shelf under your underwear. .”. Pay attention to the phrases you use in your home. NO STORE-BOUGHT TOY GUNS Never buy guns for your child, but when he makes guns with LEGOs or turns a stick or finger into a gun, allow it. Talk about what to do if another student brings a gun to school—namely, tell a teacher, guidance counselor or principal as soon as possible. Some kids simply mature earlier than others. Explain that not everyone gets a deer, and that sometimes people hunt for years without a harvest. Children are most frequently injured by firearms when they are unsupervised and out of school. Raising kids today, however, is different than in past generations. They might be on a playground one day. T ake your children shooting as they get older (pre-teen and teen). Explain the real dangers to your children that guns pose. Allow them to ask questions and let them touch or hold the gun. Ammunition should be locked and stored in a separate location. In addition, it isn’t a bad idea to begin teaching kids from a very early age about gun safety rules, even if you know the child may not be mature enough — you can always teach them again. There was a loaded shot gun by the back door as well. When there’s a gun in the home, there’s a greater risk of a child being shot by himself, his friends, or a family member than being injured by an intruder. In his book PROTECTING THE GIFT, Gavin De Becker reveals some harsh statistics: Read on to learn how to protect your child from guns, whether in your own house or in the homes of friends and relatives. Once your child is in middle school, he will have likely heard about at least a few incidents of gun violence around the country—or potentially in your own community. Tell them a little about each gun and instill some basic firearm safety rules. At this point, they’ll be comfortable with, and know how to properly hold, a gun. She just needs to remove herself from the situation. “You tell your kids ‘don’t touch sharp knives, don’t get in a car with strangers.’ Why not say ‘if you see a gun, don’t touch it, leave the area, and tell an adult’?” Even if guns were totally outlawed today, there are still 240 million guns out there, and “the bad people are still going to have them.”. Warning your children about the dangers of guns and insisting they tell an adult if they ever come across one isn’t enough to keep them safe. COMPROMISE WITH CERTAIN RULES To a little kid, the kick from a 20 or 12 gauge will feel the same. Unfortunately, a gun in the house is much more likely to hurt or kill a member of the household or a friend than an intruder. While it’s unfortunate that in our society, a young child may not realize what he or she is saying by threatening someone else, a student should realize his or her school will not tolerate even the most off-handed remark of this sort. 2. NO TV SHOWS OR MOVIES THAT INVOLVE SHOOTING AND KILLING Although well-intended, this rule is extremely difficult to enforce; children would be excluded from most movies including Disney’s TARZAN and the most recent Star Wars episode. https://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-biggest-things-teach-kids- A strong fear should be put into them (especially young children) regarding guns. Trigger locks should be used. Children have been suspendedfor pointing fingers like handguns. Even if you don’t have children at home, involve yourself and invite others to participate in gun safety programs. Zero tolerance policies are just one step in the direction of keeping our kids safe. The discussion must be age-appropriate and offer children clear instructions about avoiding guns without adult supervision. And if you’re a person who owns guns yourself, it’s your responsibility to tell the parents of the children who visit your home about your guns, and inform them how the guns are secured. As Judy Shaw, Director of the Injury Prevention Program at Children’s Hospital in Boston, noted, “any small child who picks up a gun . Most children, especially boys, will go through a stage of pretending to use guns or weapons in their play, acting out different scenarios. Guns can be very alluring; even children who have been trained in gun safety may pick them up and play with them. • What would you do if you heard an intruder? • Do you have a gun in your house? I just have to ask . Reinforce this by quizzing them on what they would do if they found a gun. Tell them, “Never play with guns. The likelihood is great that your child will play in the homes of people who own guns. Repeat the “don’t play with guns” message frequently. While in some areas of the country, teens are toting rifles to go hunting after school, in other areas, teens are carrying guns to intimidate others. This will most likely happen between 3 and 7 years of age. One study indicates that few young children can reliably distinguish a toy gun from a real one. Explain to your children that accidents can happen with guns, so it is important not to touch them, even if they have no intention of hurting anyone. Explaining the power of a firearm can be difficult for a young child who may not have an understanding of what death is. Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide. Children often know where the guns are, even when their parents believe they do not. Cultivate empathy for victims killed by guns. Make time to talk. In one particular case, the guns were locked up at his home, and the boy broke into his grandfather’s house and stole guns from his locked gun cabinet. Firearms are the fourth leading cause of accidental deaths among children ages 5-14, according to the Justice Department. Read our, Reviewed by Ann-Louise T. Lockhart, PsyD, ABPP, How to Help Kids Still Struggling With Mental Health During the Pandemic, How the #MeToo Movement Opens Conversations Between Parents and Kids, Sworn-in as VP, Kamala Harris Presents Teachable Moment for Your Kids, Parent's Guide to Navigating the Tween Years, What Your Teen Needs to Know About Dating Safely, How to Handle Finding Disturbing Content on Your Teen's Phone, 10 Ways to Help Your Child Conquer Sleepover Anxiety, How to Have a Conversation Without Your Child Interrupting, Among U.S. gun owners, parents more likely than non-parents to keep their guns locked and unloaded, Fowler KA, Dahlberg LL, Haileyesus T, Gutierrez C, Bacon S. Childhood Firearm Injuries in the United States.Â.
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