Youth Gun Safety: A Smart Parents Guide to Keeping Kids Safe

With a firearm in one-third of American homes with children its very likely that as a parent youve thought about gun safety for your child. This statistic comes from Asking Saves Kids (ASK) a national campaign that encourages gun safety something that may seem intense for a child but is absolutely necessary. Children are naturally curious. To learn about the world they gravitate toward the new and interesting especially things that often get portrayed as taboo like drugs alcohol and guns. Though it can be a nerve-racking discussion an important part of preparing your child to be an adult is teaching them how to think about guns when they do encounter one whether its in your home or someone elses. The ASK campaign promotes one simple idea to help with this conversation which is to ask one very critical question: Is there an unlocked gun in your house? Parents and caregivers need to ask this important question before deciding whether to send a child to someones house to play. Conversely if children are coming over to your house its also important to tell the childs parents that you keep a gun in the home. Keeping kids safe takes communication by everyone involved. But what if you want a gun-free household? Your child will see guns in the movies and on TV and theyll likely come into contact with one at a friend or relatives house given the statistics. Thats why properly educating your child on gun safety is a lifesaving skill for all children. This guide shares the best ways to ensure your family knows how to properly handle guns whether you keep them in your house or not.