Express your Opinion in Keeping Guns in Homes with Children

Introduction

Some people tend to think that keeping guns in their homes actually makes their children safer. This is absolutely not the case. The truth is that guns really do not provide any protection to the children; they only put their lives at more risk. Research in numerous US urban regions reveals that every gun stored in the house is linked with a fivefold increase in cases of suicide and a threefold increase in homicide cases (Seaman, 2014). For instance, in January 2012, Anthony Kruger, a high school student, locked himself in his bedroom and shot himself twice under the chin after his mother informed the authorities about his drug use (Miller, 2013). His mother had purchased the gun for protection, and she allowed Kruger access to the gun for the “protection” of his younger siblings while she was at work. Kruger, fortunately, survived the ordeal, but cases like this clearly highlight that one of the greatest risk factors for teenage suicide is the presence of guns in our homes.

Safeguarding Children from Gun-Related Harm: Recommendations and Precautions

If people truly want to protect their children from harm, what they should do is follow the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics and dispose of any guns in their homes (“Handguns in the Home”, 2015). This would be a good start. If a person cannot do this, they should simply lock the unloaded guns in one place and the ammunition in a different place. The most important thing to remember in this case is not to let your children have any kind of access to guns. Doing this almost makes your children safe from those guns. 

Prioritizing Safety: Teaching Children to Handle Common Dangers Over Armed Threats

Real dangers to kids include drowning, fire, and accidents, not armed intruders. Children should be taught to avoid strangers at all costs, call 911 in case of any emergencies, and have a safe haven like the neighbor’s house to run to in case of danger. Parents and guardians should take time to make sure that their children know how to swim and not how to shoot. This is because children are more likely to get into trouble while in a pool, lake, shore, or river and are less likely to be confronted with an armed assailant.

Prioritizing Practical Safety Skills Over Firearm Access for Teens

It is quite interesting how some parents give their teenage kids access to guns to protect their families, and yet these kids do not put on seatbelts or bike helmets and would be totally clueless in case a fire broke out in the house. It is crucial for parents to make sure that their children are familiar with basic first aid and what they need to do in case another kid gets hurt. Rather than worrying about fresh ammunition for their handguns, parents should take steps to ensure that their homes are safe for the children, for instance, by fireproofing the house. If your children really need to learn a skill, show them how to use a fire extinguisher and not how to shoot guns.

Conclusion

Keeping guns in homes with children does not make the kids any safer; they just make their world increasingly dangerous. Parents ought to give their kids the proper safety training needed in dealing with real threats and not the perceived threats spoken about by those who sell guns. Teaching your children how to swim, how to use fire extinguishers, and basic first aid, among other safety training practices, will go a long way in ensuring their safety.