how about a walther P22 and a PPS combo
almost identical dimensions so the feel should be about the same
i love my walther P22 - about 800 rounds thru it with no FTF using CCI mini mags

9mm - how about the Glock 17 or 19 or 26 or 34

for kids - definitely get a gun safe - the make em small to hold just one gun also - forget the name but has a four finger combo lock

I would recommend that you buy a couple of 9mm's and take a NRA pistol corse. That will help you both with safty and getting started. I haven't a clue about fingerprint safes. Good luck.

I second Baldy's motion for an NRA pistol course. It's well worth the small amount of money you'll invest.

Safety lies between the ears, not between the hands. When it comes to children accessing the gun, there is no amount of gadgetry that can be attached to the pistol that will make it child-safe. You must make a complete commitment to keeping the weapon away from your children at all times, until they are old enough to understand proper safety procedures. There is no in-between. You cannot rely on gadgets to keep your children safe - you must rely on yourself.

There are many, many good pistols on the market. Do not choose based on the number of safety devices, many of which make the pistol clumsy to operate under stress. Instead, choose the pistol you shoot the best.

When my daughter was growing up, we never had a safe.
If a gun wasn't in use (being carried) it was stored, unloaded, in a hard-to-reach (for kids) place, and the ammunition was in a simple, locked metal box (OK, it was an old refrigerator, lock added) in the garage.
During all this time, she was carefully taught about gun safety. She was allowed to handle any gun in the house upon request, but only under close parental supervision. She was not allowed to "play guns," at home or outside, since part of her training was that guns were not toys. She was to leave any area where she saw a gun that was not within the control of an adult, and was told to immediately report such happenings to us.
At age seven, she got her own single-shot .22 rifle. Still, all the previously-noted rules applied.
We never had a problem with her, nor any accident. Now, at age 32, she is still completely gun safe.
Teach a child responsible behavior, especially by your own example, and you'll be OK.

Don't start your wife with a .22; but instead, start with a whole lot of dry-fire practice with the gun she's going to use.
There is difficulty transitioning from one gun to another. There is difficulty transitioning from an expectation of .22 recoil to the shock of 9mm recoil. Why raise all of these difficulties?
Develop her basic skills and strength through a small amount of dry-fire exercise, each and every day, with the gun she'll eventually be shooting.
Then take her out for some simple live-fire exercises, bearing in mind that she will tire quickly (maybe within 20 or 25 rounds).
Break her in to shooting slowly, and she'll be OK.

Further, follow Mike's advice on choosing a gun (below).

Sounds like you and my dad had the same philosophy about kids and guns as I was taught in almost the same way, much the same approach I'll take with mine, though with a safe. I won't be relying on just a safe and safety mechanisms on the pistol.

Thanks for the advice regarding my wife starting with a 9mm rather than a .22.

I hope I didn't sound like I was looking for a pistol with every conceivable safety mechanism. I agree, you need to be able to shoot it at the range or wherever. I'm just amazed at the amount of safety features available and was hoping to find out which are worthless both for safety or for using the pistol (for example, I've read some loaded chamber indicators cannot be easily or conveniently accessed/seen so what's the point).

Thanks everyone, and feel free to keep it coming.