# Concealed carry around children



## Handgun World (Oct 28, 2009)

I wasn't real sure where to put this in this forum so moderators, move it if necessary, but recently I was emailed and asked about my opinions about concealed carry around children. This is a subject near and dear to my heart because my Dad drilled gun safety into my head when I was young. We've all heard the saying "don't kid proof your guns, gun proof your kids." I believe that's true, but I also believe it starts very early and needs to be done with a few things in mind. So let me share some some not so effective ideas or common mistakes I see. I recently did a show on this but also wanted to get some of your thoughts on this subject as well. Here goes...

Hiding your gun is a good idea, but not good enough.
Kids like to explore and find new things, so hiding your gun is of limited benefit. A child may very well go through all of the drawers and cabinets in the house. Putting the gun out of reach only works until your kid learns to climb or use a ladder or stepping-stool. (Don't think your kids don't climb on the furniture just because you've never seen 'em do it.)

Don't make the mistake of thinking your child is too weak to use the gun. Large auto loading pistols will have strong slide springs that even many adults find difficult to work, so you may be tempted to leave the chamber of a gun empty on the assumption that your child won't be able to load it. Also, there are gun locks that use a strong spring or rubber band to hold the gun, on the theory that only adults will be strong enough to release the gun. Both these methods are insecure against any child larger than an infant. Your child can probably find some way to put his entire weight on the slide or the lock, usually by carrying it to a stair step and standing on it.

Basically, if your child-proofing mechanism depends on your child's lack of height, strength, or intellect and your child is beyond infancy, it's not good enough. Children spend many years being small and weak, and they learn lots of ways to compensate. They also have a lot of spare time to figure things out. Your children can probably defeat any mechanism you can. Thus, the only effective child-proofing methods are those that also work against unauthorized adults. You need real security.

I believe the safest place for your loaded concealed carry handgun is on your person. There seems to be no substitute for hunter safety courses and for taking them to the range! Take them early and often and teach them not to fear guns and also not to be curious. Make them realize they are dangerous tools that are deadly and need to be respected.

In closing though, I think anyone who thinks children and guns can't coexist safely is sorely mistaken. Those same people are robbing their children of the fun of the shooting sports that we adults enjoy and that's not fair to the kids either.

Thanks,


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## wjh2657 (Jun 18, 2008)

Speaking as a grandfather and a retired high school teacher (and a retired,30years AD Marine), I feel compelled to issue a caveat on this post.

I live in the country and I take my grandchildren shooting when they come to visit. I have a collection of weapons sized just for them and I teach them safety as well as marksmanship. The arsenal includes shotguns (.410), rifles (.22) and handguns (.22) so they become familiar with all types of weapons.

That said, I *would not *leave any weapons out where children could get to them unattended.

In my 18 years of public school teaching, I encountered guns at school several times (and those were just the guns we found.) It is the rule, not the exception, in this day that weapons will find their way to schools. In most cases these weapons were brought to school to be_ used_. The excuse they were brought for show and tell is utter BS. It is used to try to get out of the consequences of bringing the weapon to school. I do believe that sometimes they were more for intimidation than for firing, but we know how intimidation can escalate to actual use. The school I taught in was not a "ghetto" school but an affluent suburban school, parents being a predominately upper middle class, professional white population. I say this because most people think that guns only show up at mixed ethnic schools, tain't so McGee!

Most of these kids were hunter safety trained and familiar with weapon safety (This is Tennessee guys!) Every parent involved advocated that they didn't believe their child could do it. They trusted the child implicitly. So, why does this happen? We live in a violent and angry time. All groups seem to have some kind of deep hatred for other ethnic groups. This hatred is fanned by the media and our so-called political "leaders" to push for votes. Kids don't need fictional examples (Video Games, Movies, etc.) as they see this hatred spewed by prominent _real_ people. Words advocating violence against the government, the church, public leaders and ethnic groups is on TV every day and night. Our children are being raised in this environment. They live in a polarized society, a society full of hate. It is a different world then when we were children (I am 67) and requires different practices.

I have heard the excuse that the kids can tell the fiction from fact. Watch the 6 o'clock news, _adults _ can't tell fiction from fact, how can you expect children to be able to do it?

I will continue to teach firearms safety and marksmanship to my grandchildren. I trust them, but as a trained teacher, I also understand that even the best raised kids can end up influenced by the times. So my guns are locked up when I am not there with them. Leaving guns out where children or even young teens can get to them without supervision is foolhardy and irresponsible.


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## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

I trust that my kids would know better than to "play" with any firearm that they've found. That much I've taught them as their environment isn't constantly under my control (other people's houses for example). Regardless, the opportunity isn't presented at my home. The guns are on my person or locked up. I can get to them fast enough should the need arise.


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