http://bbs.babycenter.com/board/baby/1435504/thread/2810883

Not hotlinked on purpose.

I'm not requesting a bombing run, just thought it a bit disturbing to read.  

Is it acceptable to have guns in your home if you have children? If you don't have guns at home, should you allow your child to visit people who do?

There are a few good ones, and lots of really scary posts like this one...

Author: msl31   Jan 19, 2006, 9:49 AM (PST)  
I am going to disagree. I am from the Northeast suburban areas, where there is not as much of a "gun/hunting" culture as there is in other parts of the country. Quite frankly, the whole idea of guns makes me sick, and I just don't understand the whole attraction at all. Everyone I know raised from this area doesn't "get" it either. Most of the downstate New Yorkers would be perfectly happy to see the Second Amendment repealed, quite frankly ;)

As for guns in the house, no we would never in a billion years keep a gun in our home. As for other people's homes, I am absolutely not comfortable with my child going into a home with a gun in it, I don't care what anyone says about how they keep the ammunition. My DH's best friend lives in rural Vermont and he has a (maybe 2?) guns. When we went to go stay there, I made him show me where everything was kept and how secure it was. We stayed, but it didn't make me happy in the least. I would never leave my child there alone when they get older. I am also concerned regarding when my children get older and play at other children's homes - I would really really really want to know what is going on over there, and if they keep firearms in the home. I doubt I would let my child play over there without superivison if that was the case, quite frankly. And maybe not at all. Again, I come from a family/culture wherein guns are just NOT something to use, own, and are very very frowned upon. I just can't wrap my brain around this whole "gun culture" thing. Just hard to relate to.

I have both.

Quoted: I have both.

Yes!  GET BOTH!

As soon as I was old enough to stay home by myself (11?), my dad made sure I knew where he kept his loaded pistol and that I knew how to use it.  It felt good to be trusted.

Thanks, Dad!  

I have guns in my home because I value my family.

Those who do not are sheep.

I have four kids here, and guns galore (ages 1-7).

Down to the youngest they are fully aware that they are not allowed to touch them without my explicit permission.

Sure. It is an excellent reason to have guns. What more precious to protect than your kids? Steak knives are way more accessable to my kids than the firarms are, and they are not stabbing anything.

Common sense on the parents' part and education on the childrens' part. Like everything else IMO.

What a bunch of twits.  I pitty the husbands

I think that guns serve there purpose - Military, Police, hunting and perhaps a few other professions (like gun salesmen) would need to have guns. Since we are none of these I see no reason to have a gun in my home. I was around guns as a child...my Mom had a pistol and my Dad and Grandparents were all into hunting. I was always very afraid of guns. Therefore there are no guns in my home and our friends who like to carry guns on their person are asked to leave them in the car or at home. These guns are loaded and the last thing I want is my 4 year old grabbing ahold of a loaded gun and saying, "What's this?"

I have never understood the reason for having guns for "self-deffense". If they are stored properly (gun locked up with safety on and ammo locked up in a different location) they aren't going to do you much good in an emergency. If they aren't stored properly then you may be dealing with a different kind of emergency! Plus, I always think of that story I saw on Oprah where the man came home to a dark house and the door was open...he saw a dark figure coming towards him and he shot at it...turns out his son came home to do some laundry! I also recall a girl I knew in high school. She was taught gun safety and one day, when she was 14 or 15, she and her 12 year old sister were home alone. They heard a prowler and big sis decided to grab the gun (I never found out what it was...they kept saying shot-gun but that didn't compute) and she was going to shoot at the floor and scare him away. Turns out there was no prowler and the girl I knew dropped the gun and it went off shooting her 12 year old sister in the head. That was a very sad and very unnecessary funeral!

If you have a need for guns and they are in your home LOCK THEM UP!!! If you think that just be teaching your kids gun safety and proper usage they aren't going to get stupid then think again! It could happen!!

As for letting my children play where people have guns...the fact is you just never know. You can ask and they can lie or maybe they don't have guns but Uncle Jo is in town and he brought a gun. You can't control what goes on in anyone elses house. I can't shelter my daughter completely and only allow her to go to homes where I know the family very well and know they feel the same as I do and I can't shelter her from being friends with interesting people who may have a Dad who is a cop or a Dad who is an avid hunter. The only thing I can do is teach my child safety and scare the crap out of her. Let her know that a gun won't just hurt someone but if she touches it and it goes off it could KILL someone.

For those of you who say, "Guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people." You are absolutely right. Therefore, unless you have a career need for the guns (in which case I would hope they would be well hidden and secured) then PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE GUNS because PEOPLE WITH GUNS KILL PEOPLE!

Oh, and for the ones who say that without guns someone will still find some other way to kill...well, that's true, but unless people start honing their knife throwing skills or bow and arrow skills (not as easily concealed) it won't be as easy to kill someone from a distance. A knive, shive, or other device requires close contact. You have a better chance of getting caught and the risk is too high for a "crime of passion" it takes more thought to figure out how you are going to sneak up on someone and slice them than it does to figure out how you are going to stand behind a bush and blow their head off!

amanda

they make these things called "safes".......

I surfed through about half of the pages. Sounds like pretty typical responses you'd get from a  cross section of society outside of a gun board.

Hey, I take offence at that.  (j/k)

Quoted: It goes without saying a person who leaves a loaded gun around a toddler is an idiot.  That's kind of a given. Tj

Even if you don't have guns in your home , your children should be educated about them, even a toy gun should be treated as a real weapon, Parents PLEASE if you don't know anything about guns, seek out an education from someone at the local range or police dept. they will help you with gun safty classes, as Parents we have to be responsible, my 2-cents Thanks

Guns and kids?

Education is the key.

Here's my feeling:









I had this arguement with my sister in law who asked my wife how she could let me have guns in the house with my daughter. I told her that your kids "reality" will be the BS on TV and ours will truely know what's dangerous and what's not. You can't be with your kid 24/7 after a certain age. If one of her friends pulls out a gun, our daughter will immediately recognize the danger and and will not be lured in by the excitement of the unknown.

Bomber

Should families with children have guns in the house?

YES, at least one for each child.


I grew up with firearms. Shooting, and hunting were just natural. The people in the original post "can't understand the gun culture"

I can't understand NOT owning firearms.

YES!!!

Just put the fear of god in them that they are not to be touched unless you are home.

Mine are in the safe minus the one Pistol thats in a lock box beside the bed and a AR beside the dresser(unloaded, mag is in the lockbox).

The pistol has a 33rd mag, that should give me time to put the AR into operation.

My oldest son has a lever action 22 he keeps in his room, but the ammo and key to the trigger lock stay in the safe.

You can have kids and guns in the house, just use common sense and get off your ass and supervise your kids.

FREE

So how many of you are going to enroll there and try to educate them?

Quoted: So how many of you are going to enroll there and try to educate them?

We tried that 2 years ago at sMothering.com- it didn't work to well.

Man, Can I say AMEN for hardgearhavehappy shooting kids.

Quoted: Quoted: So how many of you are going to enroll there and try to educate them? We tried that 2 years ago at sMothering.com- it didn't work to well.

Although...IIRC, some ladies from there came over here. So, it wasn't all bad.

Quoted: Quoted: So how many of you are going to enroll there and try to educate them? We tried that 2 years ago at sMothering.com- it didn't work to well.

Well, part of the problem is in the approach. What with the guys here who hate all women and dont hesitate to tell us how they feel, maybe those guys will agree THEY should not be the ones to go onto a child-rearing board to make the points.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So how many of you are going to enroll there and try to educate them? We tried that 2 years ago at sMothering.com- it didn't work to well. Although...IIRC, some ladies from there came over here. So, it wasn't all bad.

Yeah I remember some of them came over and started to call ARFCOM home.  I also remember MOST of those women were offended and flabbergasted when they lurked over here.  They said the & made them upset

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So how many of you are going to enroll there and try to educate them? We tried that 2 years ago at sMothering.com- it didn't work to well. Well, part of the problem is in the approach. What with the guys here who hate all women and dont hesitate to tell us how they feel, maybe those guys will agree THEY should not be the ones to go onto a child-rearing board to make the points.

Well, speaking for myself, I think the reason MOST of the "women haters" have that mindset is because, at some point during our lives we had to deal with a winey liberal woman.  You can pick those types out on the babycenter website.  Those are the types who say "My husband like guns but I told him over my dead body...blah blah blah"  You can not rationalize with those types, because by nature, they are irrational and over emotional individuals.

Quoted: Guns and kids? Education is the key. Here's my feeling: www.darlynn.com/albums/Morgan-Shooting-2005/shooting_014.sized.jpg www.darlynn.com/albums/album19/Christmas_Shooting_004.sized.jpg www.darlynn.com/albums/album23/CIMG1162.sized.jpg www.darlynn.com/albums/album23/CIMG1164.sized.jpg I had this arguement with my sister in law who asked my wife how she could let me have guns in the house with my daughter. I told her that your kids "reality" will be the BS on TV and ours will truely know what's dangerous and what's not. You can't be with your kid 24/7 after a certain age. If one of her friends pulls out a gun, our daughter will immediately recognize the danger and and will not be lured in by the excitement of the unknown. Bomber

That's awesome to see.  I can't wait for my kids to be old enough to go shooting with me.  

those are the "if it saves just one life" people who completely fail to recognize that civilian gun usage stops 6500+ crimes in progress EVERY DAY.

there is no educating them.

When we went to go stay there, I made him show me where everything was kept and how secure it was. We stayed, but it didn't make me happy in the least.

If someone did that to me I woudl ask them to leave.


I have had people with young kids at my house to weren't comfortable with guns. They simply asked if I "put-it-away".  I said yes no problem.

quick someone write back "Where do you live?  I need to fix my crack habit"

Crazy stupid sheeple breeding and multiplying and finally voting [for a long time they didn't vote - too busy you know] screwing up a good country.

I wonder back in the early days of our American History how people survived with guns in their houses?  I wonder back in the era of our Revolution how many houses didn't have guns in them?  

Stupid idiots.  

Quoted: http://bbs.babycenter.com/board/baby/1435504/thread/2810883 Not hotlinked on purpose. I'm not requesting a bombing run, just thought it a bit disturbing to read.   Is it acceptable to have guns in your home if you have children? If you don't have guns at home, should you allow your child to visit people who do? There are a few good ones, and lots of really scary posts like this one... Author: msl31   Jan 19, 2006, 9:49 AM (PST)   I am going to disagree. I am from the Northeast suburban areas, where there is not as much of a "gun/hunting" culture as there is in other parts of the country. Quite frankly, the whole idea of guns makes me sick, and I just don't understand the whole attraction at all. Everyone I know raised from this area doesn't "get" it either. Most of the downstate New Yorkers would be perfectly happy to see the Second Amendment repealed, quite frankly ;) As for guns in the house, no we would never in a billion years keep a gun in our home. As for other people's homes, I am absolutely not comfortable with my child going into a home with a gun in it, I don't care what anyone says about how they keep the ammunition. My DH's best friend lives in rural Vermont and he has a (maybe 2?) guns. When we went to go stay there, I made him show me where everything was kept and how secure it was. We stayed, but it didn't make me happy in the least. I would never leave my child there alone when they get older. I am also concerned regarding when my children get older and play at other children's homes - I would really really really want to know what is going on over there, and if they keep firearms in the home. I doubt I would let my child play over there without superivison if that was the case, quite frankly. And maybe not at all. Again, I come from a family/culture wherein guns are just NOT something to use, own, and are very very frowned upon. I just can't wrap my brain around this whole "gun culture" thing. Just hard to relate to.

Thes people might as well be my neighbors. Well, most of them, anyway.

They live in very disconnected world, disconnected from reality. They live in their culturally sealed houses, watch the same liberal media, go from job to house in their cars, don't even walk out to or from their cars, but instead hit the garage door opener in their cars to drive in and out. They are just living in a dream world. They mouth platitudes at the PTO meetings about "diversity" and "being fair to all" but when they are confronted with people who are different from them, they pretend to be nice to them, then shun them.

There is utterly nothing you can do for these people, exc. to stay away from them and outvote them.

Take them down to the range? Rotsa ruck- they are afraid of themselves around guns. Some know that if they get into guns, they might start to look at life differently, and realize that suburban liberal life is a load of crap. (Or so one neighbor told me at a neighborhood cookout years ago, after he'd had a few beers.....)

As for the apocryphal stories I ALWAYS hear from these people about, "oh, I knew this girl who accidentally shot his sister" I always ask, "When? Where? What were their names?" and then I offer to check out the story by calling the PD where it happened. "What- you don't believe me?" is usually the indignant response......

I knew of ONE incident when I was a kid in the 1970s of two kids who got into an uncle's gun cabinet, loaded a shotgun, and one of the kids, a dumbass local we called "Jeffro", stupidly pointed it at the other one and pulled the trigger. The kid died, but nothing happened to the moron who loaded the gun. (My brother and the victim's sister were in the same grade- he knew her pretty well. She was devastated, as you can well imagine, and took a long time to come to terms with it.)

The trigger-puller still went to school after that, like nothing happened. He was a dumbass to begin with, and this didn't help him. Basically the event got hushed up- if dumbass ever went to court, I don't know, but the incident made the local paper. Victim was named, but not the shooter, due to his youth.

BUT in a town full of guns (Foxborough, MA), this was the ONLY such incident I ever knew of in the twenty years I was involved with the town.

Quoted: Guns and kids? Education is the key. Here's my feeling: www.darlynn.com/albums/Morgan-Shooting-2005/shooting_014.sized.jpg www.darlynn.com/albums/album19/Christmas_Shooting_004.sized.jpg www.darlynn.com/albums/album23/CIMG1162.sized.jpg www.darlynn.com/albums/album23/CIMG1164.sized.jpg I had this arguement with my sister in law who asked my wife how she could let me have guns in the house with my daughter. I told her that your kids "reality" will be the BS on TV and ours will truely know what's dangerous and what's not. You can't be with your kid 24/7 after a certain age. If one of her friends pulls out a gun, our daughter will immediately recognize the danger and and will not be lured in by the excitement of the unknown. Bomber

YOU ARE RAISING YOUR KIDS RIGHT!!!!!!!!

I can see that others have started to reply as well

I grew up around firearms. My dad, my neighbor's dad, and my uncle across the street all had them unlocked in soft cases in their rooms. Between my sibblings, my neighbors' kids that I played with, and my cousins that alone was 8 kids around the firearms (and that's not counting the other neighborhood kids who would come over) and none of us ever played with/ misused the weapons. We were all taught at a very early age they weren't toys, just like the axe and chainsaw in the garage. Educating the kids is the key - this is also known as being a responsible parent.

God I miss the pre-brady/pre-klinton days when personal responsibility and common sense were still "in".

There are plenty of families that should not have guns in the house. Mine isn't one of them. My kids and wife know gun safety and how to use them. Not everyone is as knowledgeable about managing weapons as the folks on this forum...

I would be more worried about my son or daughter:

1) Drinking

2) Using drugs

3) Being a slut or knocking-up a slut

4) Being killed in a car accident

Quoted: I would be more worried about my son or daughter: 3) Being a slut or knocking-up a slut

Those women are probably the same ones who think that it would be "ok" for their 14 year old daughter to have sex in her bed room because that is something that 14 years olds "do"

Quoted: I have four kids here, and guns galore (ages 1-7). Down to the youngest they are fully aware that they are not allowed to touch them without my explicit permission.

I've got the same thing going on at my house lincolndz.

I just have to promise and occasionally take them out shooting with me.  

With kids in the house I'd worry more about having a swimmin' pool in my back yard than guns in the house...

I recently read  an article that stated that guns in the home where not concidered a risk factor by the insurance industry.... Now I don't recall if the writer was referring to "risk" as liability in that there's an increased chance of injury to people or there was a risk of theft etc...
Either way... If the weasels in the insurance industry don't think a gun in the home is a reason to raise your rates it must mean there is little no risk to having a gun in your home...
Conversly... 'Last time I renewed my home owners policy I was explicitly asked if I had a pool.

BTW
I have to girls ages 5years and 8 years, 22 firearms and no pool.

Quoted: I have both.

+3 (kids)


My wife, who dislikes guns, insists that I teach my daughters how to shoot.  She even saw the logic on me buying a .22lr rifle for my 3yo son to use in a couple years.  Took her a while to adjust to me having a bedside weapon, but the incidence of crime in the area let her see the logic of answering a "bump in the night" with something more than my tallywhacker.

Guns in the house are kinda like a neccesary evil for her, but I'll take it.

So who is going to be the first ARFCOMER to post over there?

How did me and my siblings grow up ok?  I started shooting when i was 4 and knew wear my dad kept the guns.  I never once in my whole life touched my dads guns without his permission first.  I am almost 20 now and i still don't touch his guns.  Quite frankly, i don't even remember him telling me to never touch them, it was just understood.

Quoted: So who is going to be the first ARFCOMER to post over there?

I am already a member over there and I will be posting as soon as I finish reading the numerous responses.
Anyone have any suggestions or comments to add, let me know, I'll do my best to add them into my response.

I was raised around my dad's guns. It was a pretty simple concept; "these are dangerous; don't go near them on penalty of death unless dad is here and gives you permission to look at them". That's all it took. He didn't lock them in a cabinet or anything, just stuck them in a wall rack that latched.

Then again, I also understood that television wasn't real (though the one episode of Star Trek TNG with the parasites and the exploding head and torso freaked me out when I was three or four) and was an all-around intelligent and obedient child. I was always smart enough to know there were REASONS for rules, even if I didn't understand them. While most kids asking "why" when they're told to do something were just being little smartasses, if I asked "why" it was an honest request so I could understand something. And usually my parents would take the time to explain to me what the reason was and it was enough to satisfy me. Whether I understood it or not, I followed the rules. Usually.

Quoted: Quoted: So who is going to be the first ARFCOMER to post over there? I am already a member over there and I will be posting as soon as I finish reading the numerous responses. Anyone have any suggestions or comments to add, let me know, I'll do my best to add them into my response.

If you would (if you haven't done so already) point out what happened with Hurricane Katrina.  When disaster strikes the police won't be there to save you and you must rely on yourself to defend you life, liberty and property.

Never, never, never. My parents never had any gun inside their house. We knew a family where the brother killed his own sister. It was securely locked and had a child-proof lock on it. They were baffled as to how he got it in his hands and he said he dug the drawer from underneath it. Guns are very dangerous. If any parent has a gun inside the house, I would never subject my son to that kind of violence. It would make my hair stand up and make me think twice about trusting anyone with my kid. I would try and create excuses with the friend part. I don't care who you are. That's why our children need psychological help by the time they are 10.

This post shows the real reason kids need a psychiatrist at 10.

Quoted: Quoted: I have both. +3 (kids) My wife, who dislikes guns, insists that I teach my daughters how to shoot.  She even saw the logic on me buying a .22lr rifle for my 3yo son to use in a couple years.  Took her a while to adjust to me having a bedside weapon, but the incidence of crime in the area let her see the logic of answering a "bump in the night" with something more than my tallywhacker. Guns in the house are kinda like a neccesary evil for her, but I'll take it.

Not that it isn't enough to instill the fear of God into any man...Oh wait...I mean...forget it.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So who is going to be the first ARFCOMER to post over there? I am already a member over there and I will be posting as soon as I finish reading the numerous responses. Anyone have any suggestions or comments to add, let me know, I'll do my best to add them into my response. If you would (if you haven't done so already) point out what happened with Hurricane Katrina.  When disaster strikes the police won't be there to save you and you must rely on yourself to defend you life, liberty and property.

I was going to bring up the fact the police can't be everywhere, but using Katrina had not entered my mind. It is a good example though.
I actually was pretty surpirsed by how many posts were progun and how many have guns in the home. Although the one point that keeps sticking out in my mind is the fact so many say they keep the gun locked in one spot and the ammo locked in another. Yes it is safe, but if you are using that gun for home defense, how fast can you actually get to it?
It is going to be a couple of hours before I can respond to the thread, the little one is up and I really need to get busy with him and my cleaning.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So who is going to be the first ARFCOMER to post over there? I am already a member over there and I will be posting as soon as I finish reading the numerous responses. Anyone have any suggestions or comments to add, let me know, I'll do my best to add them into my response. If you would (if you haven't done so already) point out what happened with Hurricane Katrina.  When disaster strikes the police won't be there to save you and you must rely on yourself to defend you life, liberty and property. I was going to bring up the fact the police can't be everywhere, but using Katrina had not entered my mind. It is a good example though. I actually was pretty surpirsed by how many posts were progun and how many have guns in the home. Although the one point that keeps sticking out in my mind is the fact so many say they keep the gun locked in one spot and the ammo locked in another. Yes it is safe, but if you are using that gun for home defense, how fast can you actually get to it? It is going to be a couple of hours before I can respond to the thread, the little one is up and I really need to get busy with him and my cleaning.

Check out the last reply on the thread!

I'm not suprised by this in the least bit. If you've ever managed to discuss firearms in a gathering of at least 60 people (I did recently), you'll find similar results. Some want them all eliminated, some are afraid of them, some are ok with them for hunting, others are okay with them in general but hate "assault weapons," and others invite you over for an impromtu machine gun and plate shoot.