What Every Parent Needs To Know About Guns

Current statistics suggest that nearly 1,300 children are killed by guns every year. This is a colossal waste of life and one that can often be avoided if parents were more aware of the importance of gun knowledge. It is terrifying to discover that 1.7 million children actually live in the same house as a loaded gun; which are unsecured and ready to use.

Things Parents Need to Know

It is important to note that there are two main types of guns. Rifles and hand guns. In general rifles are used for hunting and they come with a variety of accessories, including scopes and stands. You can read about the best rifle scope reviews to understand how these rifles are designed and who uses them. These are not generally an issue as they are too heavy for children to play with, but they should still be kept locked away.

Hand guns are smaller, much simpler and ready to use instantly, they present the greatest risk.

Guns Kill

Every parent should realize that while guns are a useful safety tool they can kill. They must teach their child that there is a big difference between the guns on the television and the gun in real life. In real life a gun causes death or life changing situations.

Tell Your Child

If you have a gun tell your child. Make sure they know where it is kept and that it is never to be used as a toy, whether it is loaded or not. This will prevent them from picking it up out of curiosity and having an accident with it.

Lock Them Up

This is the guns not the children! Your guns should always be kept in a locked cabinet, gun box or safe.  It should also be kept unloaded. You only need to remove a gun if you are intending to use it or clean it. This will help your child to understand it is a tool, not a toy. It is not just your child which enters your home, other children might not have been taught about guns and, if they see it lying round, they may choose to play with it. You simply can’t take this risk.

Safety Your gun is a deadly weapon but it is a valid defense if your life is in danger in your home. However, having to unlock a cabinet or safe and load your weapon before you can use it will help you to decide if this is really the right course of action. This can prevent you from getting into trouble. Talk To Others It is advisable that you talk to the other parents in your local area. Make them aware you have a weapon which is safely locked away and check on their attitude towards guns, particularly if they have them and don’t keep them locked away. It might seem harsh to your child, but preventing them from going to a certain house can actually save their life.