Mormons are known for many things, some being an emphasis on families and also for having big families. I would agree with this general statement even though I know there are LDS families of all sizes. I have a large family with several boys and several girls. Each one of them has fired guns throughout their lives. Our oldest is like me, a gun nut. The second oldest is a concealed carry holder in another state. From the youngest to the oldest, all have learned gun safety and good shooting practices. Not only am I a gun nut, I was a weapons instructor in the military. So my children didn’t have a chance.
After 30 plus years of marriage my wife has been exposed to guns for as long as my children. How have we kept them safe from curiosity and accidents all these years? It takes diligence and work.
Let me also say that when I was younger I was much more foolish. I think I was a bit “ate up” as we say in the military. I was way too selfish and way over confident. As I got older I learned that being cautious is not being weak. By the time my older kids were closer to leaving home, I became a lot more safety minded. I did not lock up our guns in our home. I taught our children respect for and the operation of, many weapons. I thought that was enough, and thankfully, it was. One of my rules is, “Never leave home without a knife or a gun.” These weapons must be carried safely and lawfully. So as I write about kids and guns, I speak from the present, not my “ill spent youth.” ( I credit my wife with seeing more in me than I was!) I think I was lucky on many levels. Don’t rely on luck.
Gun security in a home with children is two fold. First, is physical security. I’ve caught our children in various places in our home through the years of their growing up. I’ve learned that just putting a gun up high could be a big mistake. At first when our kids were little we kept the guns up and unloaded. As they got older, I felt we needed a defense weapon close at hand. The only way I know to do this is a lock box. There are many on the market these days. They are a vault that will secure a weapon, or anything else you want secure, in a small box that can be accessed quickly with a code. There are some that are biometric, which means your finger print will open the box. I’ve never used the biometric vault and have read good things and bad things about them. At one time, we kept a semi-auto pistol near the bed with a magazine in it. My kids could not pull back the slide. I knew this because I took them to the range and had them try. They weren’t strong enough. Like I said, I was foolish. It did work, but who’s to say when they became strong enough? Or would they have a friend who was stronger? Use a lock box. They are not expensive enough to warrant not buying one. Your guns should be in a locked vault or a locked cabinet or safe. Most of our weapons through the years were semi-automatic. When storing them I never felt the need to keep them loaded. I did and do keep loaded magazines with them. Some of you will not like this practice. What if the secured cabinet is left open, you say. I do not agree with this, but my kids are older. Do what you feel is right and follow your local laws. Trigger and chamber locks are an option if you do not lock your weapons in a safe or locked cabinet. Remember, there are always Grand kids or friends or family’s young ones that will visit or stay in your home. Act appropriately. To me, the only loaded weapon, ready to shoot should be in a locked box. Some will lock their stored weapons and lock ammo in another location. Lock and key (or combination) is the only sure way that no accident can occur. Like I said, when I was younger I stored weapons without being loaded and away from ammo, but that was dangerous and I do not recommend it.
The second safety feature is education. Teach your children what guns are, what they can do, how to safely handle them, and that they are not to be played with. Teach by precept and by example. One thing I know my kids know is the 4 safety rules. When handed a weapon if they did not clear that weapon (check to insure it is unloaded) then they would be reminded by me. Often to the point of irritation. “Clear that weapon!” was my mantra. ALL weapons are loaded and should be treated as such. I don’t care if you just cleared it. Treat it as if you made a mistake. Because maybe you did. Pointing the weapon in a safe direction is imperative. As a weapons instructor in the military I had a ball. It started off as a bandolier (the OD green ones that 5.56 ammo comes with stripper clips in them) rolled into a ball. After a few years I was awarded the “rubber rouser”, a rubber ball that I would hit any culprit with who put his finger in the trigger guard or on the trigger before the firing line was hot (that is, it was time to shoot and no one crossed the red line). I never employed the “rouser” with my kids, but they knew what I meant when I reminded them of this rule. Please, for my sanity, do not put your finger on the trigger unless your sights are on your target, in my presence. The life you save may be mine. Hollywood and TV can ruin even a trained shooter. I’ve seen it time and time again. That’s why I had the “rouser” because even experienced shooters can have bad finger discipline. When you do shoot, know what is behind your target. Law enforcement must assess this quickly. What “collateral damage” is behind my target? Always know what’s beyond your target. Teach your children these 4 rules and help them to be disciplined in them.
Also, you can help your kid’s curiosity about guns by answering their questions, showing them that guns are dangerous tools, like your circular saw, and by not putting off their questions by taking them to the range as often as they want. Just remember, when you take kids to the range you are not there to shoot yourself. You are there to help your kids to learn and become unafraid of safely used guns. They should be familiar enough with your weapons that they are not interested to try and handle them without your full help and attention. If they show no interest, let them know that they must learn to handle guns safely to protect them from guns danger, but also to protect their siblings and others who may come into contact with a gun. Let them know that there is a minimum training everyone in the home should have because guns are in your home. After their initial training, you can remind them often about what they learned. You as their parent must determine what age this should be. We used the age of 8 if there was no interest shown. You also must determine the youngest you would give this training. I have also given my kids training in knives and pepper spray. This is important training if you are to have guns in your home. Do not put it off or think there will be time later. First practice the first feature of gun safety by keeping guns locked (trigger, chamber, or gun safe). Then continue with education.
My Mother grew up as a child after the depression on a farm. My Grandfather had guns as a means of hunting and controlling predators. Even so, my Mother had no training and little exposure to guns. As a result, she is deathly afraid of guns. When she sees one she acts like it’s a coiled snake about to strike. I don’t expect everyone to be a gun nut like me, but an education about weapons and how they can be handled safely is something all people should know. Cars kill many more people than guns and yet we take it for granted that everyone eventually will be trained on how to drive safely. Gun safety should be taught and the rules adhered to by all that own guns. Many gun owners don’t think anything of that shotgun from Grandpa that’s been in the back of the closet for 15 years. They are not gun people so they don’t bother with training. This is where kids can be in danger. There are also some, like I used to be, who are lax gun owners who think their kids will learn by osmosis how to be safe with guns. They also practice very little security of their weapons in the back of their closet or high on a shelf. Do not let your kids become a statistic. Also, anti-gun proponents will use the “bad” gun owners as a reason for stricter gun laws, some of which erode at our 2nd amendment rights. Commit now to being a responsible gun owner. If you don’t have training, seek it out. Teach your children and leave a healthy and safe gun legacy.
Semper Paratus
Burn
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