Concealed carry around children

[Shotgun Willie]

Well, I am not sure I can add anything new to the discussion other than to say that my wife and I both carry daily. We have two children (ages 6 and 8) and have carried for three years now. It really comes down to the two standards mentioned: education and secure firearms. Anything above that is complicating the issue. My kids know the gun safety rules and the comply. I also keep all guns secure so it never becomes an issue when I can't supervise. When I see the curious look in their eyes I clear my gun, make it safe, and let them hold it. Thirty seconds later they are satisfied and life moves on. They have only done that a couple times in three years.

Gun safety with children really is easy. Educate and Secure.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[HandgunWorld]

I believe Cornered Cat had a very good article about how to introduce a child to guns. She made a deal with the child that any time the child wanted to see the gun, all he had to do was ask, and do it while Cat was supervising. She feels this removes the mystery of the gun.

Cornered Cat - The First Lesson (Kids and Gun Safety)

Thanks for telling me about this article. I had never read it. Good stuff and very well said. I like her website, but I've never read this part of it.

[1sty]

If I amy add a few questions into the mix as I am both new to conceal carry firearms and to father hood.

My son is 7 months old now and probably only a few months from walking.

I already have a Cannon gun safe:
Costco - Cannon Safe C21E Fire & Security Vault with E-Lock

When my wife's and my carry gun are not on us, they are in the safe.

Q's:
1. do you put a gun lock on the guns in your safe too?
2. Can anyone recommend a good course for child gun safety or at least a place to start on that path?
3. How old should your kid be when you fist let them see a gun, hold the gun, and shoot the gun?
4. A buddy of mine doesn't allow any toy guns of any kind in his house. He feels this way his children consider any gun a real gun and never a toy.
Do you guys do this as well?
5. I am looking at paddle holsters for my 220, do you guys mostly only use a holster that has some form of securing strap clasp to keep the gun in its holster around kids?

[mlr1m]

I believe Cornered Cat had a very good article about how to introduce a child to guns. She made a deal with the child that any time the child wanted to see the gun, all he had to do was ask, and do it while Cat was supervising. She feels this removes the mystery of the gun.

Cornered Cat - The First Lesson (Kids and Gun Safety)

I fully agree with Cornered Cat. Hidden guns are like magnets to kids. When I was a kid their were normally firearms stacked in corners of my home as well as the homes of my friends. They were not anything unusual to us. It was easy to spot a kid who had not been raised around guns as they were the ones that couldn't keep their hands off them. To the rest of us they were pretty much ignored unless someone had a new one and then the adults would proudly show it off to everyone who asked about it.

When my friends were visiting back when their kids were 5 and 6 years old I would let the kids handle my guns anytime they asked. Now at 13 and 14 those two kids could care less about them when they come over. They respect them and know how to handle them but it is not a forbidden fruit to them.

Michael

[StrghtShtr]

I believe Cornered Cat had a very good article about how to introduce a child to guns. She made a deal with the child that any time the child wanted to see the gun, all he had to do was ask, and do it while Cat was supervising. She feels this removes the mystery of the gun.

Cornered Cat - The First Lesson (Kids and Gun Safety)

I started teaching my daughter gun safety using the NRA Eddie Eagle video when she was 5, she couldn't get enough of it.

A little after she turned 6 I used the method from Cornered Cat. Like the article states, for the first few days she asked to see the gun several times. I would sit with her, reinforcing proper handling until she got bored. As time went on she asked less.

She is 6 1/2 now and she no longer asks and my guns are no longer these taboo items dad keeps in a safe.

[jumpwing]

Q's:
1. do you put a gun lock on the guns in your safe too?
2. Can anyone recommend a good course for child gun safety or at least a place to start on that path?
3. How old should your kid be when you fist let them see a gun, hold the gun, and shoot the gun?
4. A buddy of mine doesn't allow any toy guns of any kind in his house. He feels this way his children consider any gun a real gun and never a toy.
Do you guys do this as well?
5. I am looking at paddle holsters for my 220, do you guys mostly only use a holster that has some form of securing strap clasp to keep the gun in its holster around kids?

1. If your safe is always closed and locked (with a real locking mechanism) there won't be a need to add individual locks to each firearm. If your kids have access to the safe by knowing the combo or having any possible access to the key (no matter how unlikely) then change the combo or keep all copies of the key with you/your wife.

2. I taught my step-daughter when she was 16 (shortly after I became her step-father) so we were beyond that stage already. However, I believe the NRA has some good info to get started with.

3. That's going to be your call based on your assessment of the child and whether or not they are able to understand the basic concepts involved. When you're ready to introduce the idea of firearms you can start with a movie or TV show where firearms are used and discuss what's going on. Later, visit a gun range just for the child to observe. Use his/her reactions to these situations to gauge whether it's appropriate to put their hands on a real gun.

4. Some people choose to be very strict about toy guns, some do not and both sides have their arguments. Your kid, your choice. Even as a little kid, I knew the difference between a real gun and a toy gun. That kind of strictness would have amounted to nothing more than a pain in the ass for me. The better you know your kid, the easier it will be to make the right decision for him/her.

5. I didn't bother but, like I said, I didn't need to because I became an "instant dad" to a 16 yr old. It seems prudent to use a holster with some kind of retention strap or mechanism. Something that will alert you to the fact that your pistol has attracted the curiosity of small hands and give you plenty of time to react.

[PastorPack]

Q's:
1. do you put a gun lock on the guns in your safe too?
2. Can anyone recommend a good course for child gun safety or at least a place to start on that path?
3. How old should your kid be when you fist let them see a gun, hold the gun, and shoot the gun?
4. A buddy of mine doesn't allow any toy guns of any kind in his house. He feels this way his children consider any gun a real gun and never a toy.
Do you guys do this as well?
5. I am looking at paddle holsters for my 220, do you guys mostly only use a holster that has some form of securing strap clasp to keep the gun in its holster around kids?

A's
1. No, an unloaded gun in a locked safe should suffice. Remember ammo stored separately.
2. I find that taking your kids to the range with you early and often is the best course. Gun safety is taught over many years.
3. The appropriate age of a child will vary, but my kids both started at around 4 years old.
4. Regarding toy guns. Teach your kids the NRA Eddie Eagle material. When my kids first started shooting, the referred to the real guns as daddy's "fire guns." We have plenty of toy guns around the house (I'm surprised my son hasn't asked for a toy gun safe)--they even make guns out of legos.
5. A good CC holster has sufficient retention whether you are around kids or not.

One additional thought is having 'the talk' with your kids--not the sex talk, but the "we don't tell other people about daddy's guns" talk.

[dgreen]

the rule in our house is "if its not on me, its under lock and key".

[EvilMonk]

Children are dangerous in direct reverse proportion to their age, until they become teenagers, and then you start all over again.

Raising your kids around firearms is not impossible or crazy. In fact, the very act of such removes the mystique of the item in question and normalizes the concept. Not to say that they become complacent, just that they won't either run screaming into the wilderness, or become morbidly fascinated by a mere glimpse of an exposed gun.

Personally, I would love to see a nationwide socialized program to educate kids about firearms in Public Schools. Some folks think that sex education will reduce teen pregnancy, etc.

I think that the exact same argument can be made for firearms.

After all, telling kids to not touch them (ahem...) works real well huh?

How about this:

In the 1st grade, we teach them just that: Don't touch.

About 5th grade, we teach them the safety rules and take them out with a BB gun or some such.

In the 9-12th grade levels, we expand the training to include some basic marksmanship and further strengthen the emphasis on safety.

Don't think it can be pushed through?

That's what was said about sex ed in the 50's.

Just a thought...

[1959]

Children are dangerous in direct reverse proportion to their age, until they become teenagers, and then you start all over again.

Raising your kids around firearms is not impossible or crazy. In fact, the very act of such removes the mystique of the item in question and normalizes the concept. Not to say that they become complacent, just that they won't either run screaming into the wilderness, or become morbidly fascinated by a mere glimpse of an exposed gun.

Personally, I would love to see a nationwide socialized program to educate kids about firearms in Public Schools. Some folks think that sex education will reduce teen pregnancy, etc.

I think that the exact same argument can be made for firearms.

After all, telling kids to not touch them (ahem...) works real well huh?

How about this:

In the 1st grade, we teach them just that: Don't touch.

About 5th grade, we teach them the safety rules and take them out with a BB gun or some such.

In the 9-12th grade levels, we expand the training to include some basic marksmanship and further strengthen the emphasis on safety.

Don't think it can be pushed through?

That's what was said about sex ed in the 50's.

Just a thought...

No I don't think gun's should even be discussed in school !

[mrjam2jab]

Children are dangerous in direct reverse proportion to their age, until they become teenagers, and then you start all over again.

Raising your kids around firearms is not impossible or crazy. In fact, the very act of such removes the mystique of the item in question and normalizes the concept. Not to say that they become complacent, just that they won't either run screaming into the wilderness, or become morbidly fascinated by a mere glimpse of an exposed gun.

That right there is one of the main reasons why i OC around the house...let's them know that "normal" people can have guns too.