Did you know that weapons are found in about a third of all American homes with children? In reality, approximately 2 million youngsters live in homes where weapons are unlocked and loaded. Parents may be unaware of the considerable injury danger that a gun in the home poses, particularly to youngsters.
Even small children are capable of locating unlocked weapons in the household and pulling the trigger. Children of all ages are victims of unintentional gunshots.
In 2019, there were 241 unintentional gunshots by children, resulting in over 100 deaths and approximately 150 injuries. When there is a gun in the house, adolescents are more likely to commit suicide.
The Most Effective Method for Keeping Children Safe
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the safest home for a child is one that is gun-free. According to research, removing weapons from homes and communities is the most effective strategy to avoid unintended gun injuries, suicide, and homicide among children and adolescents.
What Should You Prepare If You Have a Gun in Your House?
Many studies demonstrate that teaching kids about gun safety or not touching a handgun if they find one is insufficient for families that choose to have weapons in the house.
Parents, on the other hand, can lessen the likelihood of their children being injured by following some basic safety guidelines:
Secure storage. All firearms and ammunition in your home should be locked and unloaded, with ammo kept separate. Ensure that youngsters and teenagers do not have access to the keys or combinations of gun safes or lockboxes. Also, remember not to drive with loaded, unlocked guns in the car.
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Keep the safety catch in place until you’re ready to discharge a gun when hunting or practicing target shooting. Always discharge the rifle before putting it down. It is not a good idea for a child to have a turn shooting, no matter how much they want to. Children are not proficient or responsible enough to handle a potentially dangerous weapon, no matter how much instruction they receive on shooting a gun safely.
Inquire about guns in other homes where your child may be playing.
Over a third of all unintentional child shootings occur in the homes of their friends, neighbors, or relatives. Take the following precautions to ensure that your children and their friends do not come across an unlocked gun while playing: Do you have an unlocked pistol in your home? This is a good question to add to your playdate checklist. Even if you don’t own a gun, inquire about guns and safe storage at the other residences they visit. Before allowing your child to visit another household, ask about dogs, allergies, supervision, and other safety concerns. Also, “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” If there is, think twice about allowing your child to play there or discuss keeping the guns unloaded and locked with them.
Talk to your kids about it. Remind your children that if they come across a gun, they must immediately report it to you.