Guns with kids

I've done some searching but haven't really found anything on having guns in the same house as young children. I'm getting ready to purchase at least one, most likely two handguns in the near future. Right now, we just keep our little 22s in a small safe, but it's not really something that is easily accessed in an emergency, but does a good job in keeping them out of reach at least for the present time. With a 3 year old and 3 month old, I want to keep them safe. A couple questions. What's the best way to secure the guns while allowing easy and quick access with most likely limited visibility? Also, when do you start introducing real guns to your children. I don't want my kids to be scared of guns, don't want them to think they're toys (don't mind them playing with toy guns), but want them to definitely respect all firearms. Any good resources out there? What have y'all done?

I'm a young guy with no kids, but corneredcat.com is a site written by a mom with a CCW, and has an extensive section on "Kids and Guns". You might find some of it handy.

KG

Not to sound flip, but carry concealed.

1. Firearm is always secured from "little hands"
2. Firearm is always immediately accessible
3. Visibility of firearm is definitely limited

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Originally Posted by kg333

I'm a young guy with no kids, but corneredcat.com is a site written by a mom with a CCW, and has an extensive section on "Kids and Guns". You might find some of it handy.

KG

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:numbchuck:

That site has some great reading

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Originally Posted by 3/325

Not to sound flip, but carry concealed.

1. Firearm is always secured from "little hands"
2. Firearm is always immediately accessible
3. Visibility of firearm is definitely limited

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Doesn't sound flip. but even I don't carry when i am in bed. When sleeping it would hurt my back, when naked and.....busy.. it would be hard (and painful) to conceal.


There are some nice, small, quick access biometric or combination safes out there for just these such situations:smt033

"Main" safe for everything not in a biometric next to the bed, or on your belt...

Keeping kids safe from invaders is important. Keeping kids safe from being kids... is more important. A bad-guy might enter your home once in a lifetime. Your child will be in your house evry day for the next 18 years...

JW

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Originally Posted by JeffWard

"Main" safe for everything not in a biometric next to the bed, or on your belt...

Keeping kids safe from invaders is important. Keeping kids safe from being kids... is more important. A bad-guy might enter your home once in a lifetime. Your child will be in your house evry day for the next 18 years...

JW

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:smt023

Gun Vault Inc makes small safes for valuables and firearms. They're electronic with flip open fronts for quick access. At least two models have fingerprint readers that require the fingerprint in order to open.

As they get older, always stress the importance of safety around firearms to your kids. And in a gun store, keep a close on them. -sigh- I remember once inquiring about some small chips on the barrels of a pair of rifles on display. Turns out someone let their kids play with the guns as if they were a pair of swords...

I am interested in this as well. I don't have money or space for a vault. I don't have a handgun yet but will be purchasing in the next couple months, hopefully. I do own a Benelli Nova pump 12 gauge, but I keep it in it's case in the master closet. We have a little curious 14 month old too.

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Originally Posted by JeffWard

Keeping kids safe from invaders is important. Keeping kids safe from being kids... is more important. A bad-guy might enter your home once in a lifetime. Your child will be in your house evry day for the next 18 years...

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Well said! :smt023

I've got a very active and curious 2 year old running and climbing all over the place. If I'm not holding a gun, its in the safe. As someone who's home was broken in to (while we were sleeping, we didn't wake up and only noticed the next morning), I have made the choice that its more important to keep my firearms secure and away from little fingers.

If anyone knows of a way to keep a gun accessible to me while I'm sleeping, but safely secured from little fingers, I'd love to hear it. Until then, I take my chances fumbling with a key in the dark when and if the time comes.

[QUOTE=JagFarlane;148124]:smt023

Gun Vault Inc makes small safes for valuables and firearms. They're electronic with flip open fronts for quick access. At least two models have fingerprint readers that require the fingerprint in order to open.


This Gunvault looks great. You don't need much room. I find myself a bit skeptical because of the price, but will be callig them tomorrow.

If I had kids in the house, I would keep my ccw/hd weapon in a small safe located in a bedroom drawer. There are small safes that can be opened in just a few seconds. While a few seconds might seem like too much time to some, I can't think of anything else that would be acceptable in the presence of children.

Some people just keep their guns hidden away where they think the kids won't find it, or just stuck in a drawer with a trigger lock. I do not consider either method to be acceptable with children around, especially older kids who have an uncanny knack of finding hidden objects and then playing with them.

I raised a daughter.
There was always at least one loaded gun in the house. We didn't have a safe. Instead, we supervised our child until she was old enough to learn safety rules (about crossing the street also, not just about guns), and then I took over her gun-safety education.
I taught her to leave guns alone if she was unsupervised; that she could handle and use any gun she wished to, any time she wanted to, but only with supervision; that if she ever saw an unsecured gun at our home or in someone-else's home, she was to either tell an adult to secure it or immediately leave; and that she was never to "play guns," not even with her finger or a stick, because guns were not toys and shouldn't be seen as being toys.
My daughter was always gun-safe. She still is, at age 31.

Safes and lock-boxes are good "insurance," but children should still be taught to be responsible and gun-safe. A safe or lock-box is not a replacement for effective parenting, discipline, and education.

Safes and lock-boxes are good "insurance," but children should still be taught to be responsible and gun-safe. A safe or lock-box is not a replacement for effective parenting, discipline, and education.[/QUOTE]

The lack of effective parenting, discipline, and education is what's wrong with this country now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smt1099:smt1099

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Originally Posted by VP70TK

...The lack of effective parenting, discipline, and education is what's wrong with this country now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smt1099:smt1099

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Agreed!
And it's gonna be at least two more generations, before this deficiency is corrected.
If ever.

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Originally Posted by VP70TK

The lack of effective parenting, discipline, and education is what's wrong with this country now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smt1099:smt1099

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If you would be so kind to let me know how to effectively parent, discipline and educate a toddler to handle a firearm safely, I'd love to hear it. Until then, if I'm not holding a gun, it gets locked in the safe.

Funny... nobody likes to mention how we went from "Greatest Generation" to generation of screw-ups. More pass the buck, perhaps?

Or is it that the rotten apples get the most attention? I think most people (adults and children) are what we would all think of as fine upstanding people and don't call attention to themselves. The trouble makers on the other hand get lots of attention.

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Safes and lock-boxes are good "insurance," but children should still be taught to be responsible and gun-safe. A safe or lock-box is not a replacement for effective parenting, discipline, and education.

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:smt023

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Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

Agreed!
And it's gonna be at least two more generations, before this deficiency is corrected.
If ever.

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While I somewhat agree I think the truth is that we have removed GOD from our children's lives and we are paying the penalty for it. Steve I know that you are an atheist and that you still consider yourself to be a "moral" person but you are the exception and not the rule. In my opinion the easiest way to raise honest responsible hardworking children who respect the law and their parents is to raise them in Fear, admonition, love, and respect of Jesus Christ. Notice I did not say the ONLY way to raise good kids but I think it is the easiest way.

As for me I keep my HD handguns in a biometric lockbox under my side of the bed. I used to keep a little model 605 taurus .357 under the edge of the matress but I think my daughter is old enough now to pick the corner of the matress up so I put it in the lockbox.

I messed up the quote on the above post, I was speaking to steve's answer of the other guy who said. parenting and discipline... are the problems with our country

Thanks for all the replies. I've been to the cornered cat site before but hadn't noticed the kid section. Some good information there. As for CC, I'm not quite there, yet. And even if and when I get a CCP, I doubt I will have it on me 16 hours a day. So, I don't really view that as an option for me. Now, if the gun isn't on my person, then it will be in a safe. I like the look of the gunvault safes. Seem like they'd be easy to get into without light. Ideally, I'd like biometric. I may have to save up for that and keep my current safe for the meantime.

I taught my 4 year old the 4 basic gun safety rules <- we californians have to learn this when getting our certificate from DOJ.

1. STOP!
2. Dont' touch
3. RUN AWAY!
4. Tell an adult

He can recite it on command. It takes no place for properly securing your firearm from youngin's hands. Here in CA, if you store your gun unlocked in your home, and a kid breaks in and uses the weapon, the owner will get prison time. I personally always keep mine locked, but very accesible to me.

Also, to the OP, if you're looking into a handgun safe, i recommend checking out the DAC safe.

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Originally Posted by kev74

If you would be so kind to let me know how to effectively parent, discipline and educate a toddler to handle a firearm safely, I'd love to hear it...

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We found lots of places in our home where we could safely put a loaded (or unloaded) pistol, that our athletic toddler couldn't reach.
High on a bookshelf, tucked behind (or between) the books, is one example.
The most important part, however, was that when our child was at home, there was always a watchful parent at home with her. She was given the illusion of autonomy and privacy, but she was always under supervision. (Not intrusion or interference, but supervision. There's a difference.)
Does that help?

(Jean and I will be in Lost Angles until the 11th, closing up a recently-deceased aunt's apartment, and settling her affairs. See you on the 12th, or maybe a little later.)

I have to agree with you Steve. You must teach children about respect not only for the gun but for what the gun can do. Discipline is greatly lacking in so many children today, adults for that matter. I have already begun to teach my daughter (will be 5 soon) about guns, how to handle and respect them. I was raised with unlocked guns in the house and was taught about them and intend on doing the same.

Excuse me kev74. But tou have taken that statement way out of context. Nowhere did I mention an age or any other demographic !!!!!!!!!
Am I the only one who notices how rude and disrespectful people in general are these days compared to 10 or 20 years ago?

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Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

I raised a daughter.
There was always at least one loaded gun in the house. We didn't have a safe. Instead, we supervised our child until she was old enough to learn safety rules (about crossing the street also, not just about guns), and then I took over her gun-safety education.
I taught her to leave guns alone if she was unsupervised; that she could handle and use any gun she wished to, any time she wanted to, but only with supervision; that if she ever saw an unsecured gun at our home or in someone-else's home, she was to either tell an adult to secure it or immediately leave; and that she was never to "play guns," not even with her finger or a stick, because guns were not toys and shouldn't be seen as being toys.
My daughter was always gun-safe. She still is, at age 31.

Safes and lock-boxes are good "insurance," but children should still be taught to be responsible and gun-safe. A safe or lock-box is not a replacement for effective parenting, discipline, and education.

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I agree with this 100%

I have no kids, but my wife and I have been having "the talk" lately. This is the best solution we could come up with also. My largest concern would be with the curiosity of BOYS though. I am pretty sure I will have to keep my guns locked up whenever they are not on me or in my nightstand at night. It will be a daily routine I will have to get used to but a small price to pay for the safety of my family -much as the cost of the weapon and ammo is a small price to pay.

I would not recommend anyone else to leave ANY gun unlocked when they have children, but that's because I do not know others habits and living situations. I have a dedicated spot in my nightstand (opposite the bedroom door) that would be almost impossible to get to without me knowing about it or waking up in the process, and I am not sure that I will be able to justify keeping a gun unlocked.

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Originally Posted by Lurchdubious

I am interested in this as well. I don't have money or space for a vault.

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Before I would bring a gun into the home, I would have a way of securing it from my children. Wanting a gun for home protection means having it accessible to me, not my kids. For me that meant a GunVault - $99 from Costco online and only the size of a shoebox. Want it to be even more safe? Save a couple months longer and get the biometric version - only YOUR thumbprint will open it. If there are keys, kids will eventually find them, if there is a combination, kids will eventually figure it out. Thats the premise you have to work with!!

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Originally Posted by cavie187

...My largest concern would be with the curiosity of BOYS though...

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The only difference between our daughter and any boy of the same age was not visible while she was clothed.
She was just as tempted by curiosity, she was just as adventurous, and she was just as mischievous. She climbed all of the tallest trees in our neighborhood, all the way to the top. She liked to climb ladders to sit on roofs. She became a competent rifle shot (.22).
No, not all daughters are "tomboys." Ours isn't, any more. But during her "dangerous age," she could've easily passed for a boy.
Don't assume that girls aren't "boy-like" inside, notwithstanding frilly dresses and dolls. It would be a very dangerous assumption, on a parent's part, and could lead to tragedy. It could also keep you from fully enjoying your relationship with your daughter, by artificially restricting it.

(Jean and I will be in Lost Angles until the 11th, closing up a recently-deceased aunt's apartment, and settling her affairs. See you on the 12th, or maybe a little later.)