Gun Safety for Kids |Complete Guide|
With more and more households having guns in their home, it is imperative that parents teach gun safety to their kids. Even if you don't plan on owning a gun, there is a chance that your child will one day visit a friend who has guns in their house. Children also see guns on tv and in movies. By teaching proper gun safety at an early age you can be certain your child will know what to do. If they don't learn it from you, chances are they will learn it from somewhere else.
How to talk to young children about gun safety.
The most important thing is to begin talking to children about gun safety as early as possible. When they are grade school age you want to keep it simple. Teach them the 4 basic rules.
STOP - Don't Touch - Walk Away - Tell an Adult
Repetition is key with children of this age. Go over the rules often, a few times a month is not too much. As children get older things change, and you want them to be prepared. If you are having trouble introducing your little ones to gun safety watch this video with them from the NRA.
As your child gets older it is a good idea to go more in depth with the rules, and what to do if they find a gun. Don't touch, pick up, or use a gun without an adult's permission/supervision. When handling a gun NEVER point it at anyone, regardless if it is loaded or not. Always assume the gun is loaded. Keep your finger off the trigger until you intend to shoot. Make sure of your target before firing.
Don't touch, Pick up, or use a gun without an adult's permission/supervision
Chances are your child will be curious and want to handle a firearm if they find one. A great thing to do in teaching gun safety for kids is "demystify" guns. You can do this by taking an unloaded firearm and allowing your teenager to hold it. Talk to them about all of the different parts and how they work. It is also a good idea to have them take the firearm apart and clean each piece while you explain what that piece does.
When handling a gun NEVER point it at anything you do not intend to shoot, and assume the gun is loaded.
A very critical piece of advice to talk to your child about is to never point the firearm at anything they do not intend to shoot and assume the gun is loaded. This includes keeping their finger off of the trigger until they are ready to fire as shown below.
Be sure of your target
Not only do you want to be sure of your target. You also want to be sure of what is BEYOND your target. You do not want to take any chances of collateral damage. Make sure your teenager understands why this is important.
Gun safety for kids should be a conversation not a lecture.
I can not stress this enough. You want to make sure while teaching gun safety to your kids that you keep the dialog open. Allow them to ask questions freely, while you also ask them questions. The whole purpose of talking to them about guns is so they know what to do. You do not want them to be scared or ashamed when it comes to firearms. Just because you have this conversation once does not mean you don't have to bring it back up. The more you talk to your children, the more safe they will feel. If you feel you need more information check out https://projectchildsafe.org/