Guns under your bed?

[LaraK]

We don't have guns now, but probably will because my FIL has quite a few and many are collectors pieces. I'm afraid of guns so it's important to me that my kids aren't. As soon as they're old enough we'll go to a firing range nearby where they teach safety courses. Even if I don't have a gun in the house, one of their friends parents may and I want them to have a healthy respect and appreciation for guns.

On a side note, I had a friend (no kids, she lived alone) who kept her handgun in a tampon box next to the bed. She said no one would ever look for it there. I always thought that was clever!

 

[GlendaO]

My cast iron frypan is my assault weapon of choice. I don't need to register it, do I?

Not yet....

 

[mikehn]

I have plenty of shotguns and rifles in the house, but they are all kept in a safe. I would love to have one under the bed but with a four year old around, that's not happening for a while. Im pretty sure my immediate neighbors know I have guns and the garbage man and mailman know I have guns. I dont flaunt them or anything. But I do throw away lots of gun and ammo related trash. And my mailman delivers hordes of gun and ammo related mail. There is only one way in, and one way out of my neighborhood so the escape routes are limited. Im not too concerned with any would be intruders.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Yes, we have guns.

We keep the kids away from them by telling the kids to stay away from them and saying it like we mean it. Neither of us was ever one of those parents who repeat things or call a kid a bunch of times or count to three and all that crap. Our children were taught at young ages to do (and not do) what they are told.

Having kids who behave is nice for everyday life. It is especially nice when you want to emphasize something - if you aren't always and forever having to be firm with them, it makes more of an impact when you are.

Plus, DH takes the kids out to shoot them. They know what guns do.

Using a rifle for self-protection makes sense if the guy you're trying to shoot is a mile away. In the house, not so much. But if they want a rifle in the house, for whatever reason, it's none of my business.

 

[GeorgeG]

I stopped hunting about seven years ago and narrowed my gun collection down to a handful of defensive weapons before moving to Florida. Most are kept in a gun safe with one kept loaded and available, but out of sight just in case. I live in a very safe community, but old New York habits can be hard to break. If I have to go to an area with a high crime rate, I'll take a handgun along, but that's very rare.

One thing that makes it a whole lot easier for me to keep a gun readily available is that we have no kids in the house and when any come to visit the guns is secured.

Where you keep a gun, loaded or not, is one of the biggest challenges for any gun owner. There is no perfect solution, especially with children, but education and responsible measures are paramount for keeping your gun safe from the wrong hands while accessible if you need it in a hurry. There are special safes available for that purpose.

 

[pweyl36]

I was rasied with guns in the house. We knew that we were never ever to touch them ever. My dad is a big hunter, My oldest son was also raised around guns because we lived with my dad. He was also taught gun safety and never to touch guns. He had his first bb gun at 4yrs and has a gun that my father bought him. It is all about how you teach your kids about gun safety.

 

[doxdogy]

Excellent statement. When our daughter, niece and newphew were younger, they knew guns were in the home. However, they were allowed to look at the guns unloaded under strict adult supervision. They were also told not to touch the guns under any circumstances. But they did have no idea where the guns were kept in the bedroom and knew to stay out of the bedroom. Also considering there was always an adult present in the home basically 24/7it was easy to make sure they did not have access to the guns. And yes our guns are and were always loaded and ready.

Gun proof your children instead of child proofing your guns, and you won't have to worry about what your child would do if they find a gun in your house or outside your house.

 

[kristilew]

Plus, DH takes the kids out to shoot them.

Oh, no! Poor kids! I hope he misses often!

 

[JMD]

At night, my handgun is out and unlocked, and within arms reach. All other times, it's either on my hip or locked in the safe. My AR-15's are close by too, if things get really bad.

 

[joviroxx]

Just like other responsible gun owners like the ones in this thread, DH's hunting shotguns and rifles are locked up. His Handgun is not and is in easy reach,though unloaded.

Kids know NOT to touch them. We answer any questions they have. Still too young to teach them how to use them but DH will. We teach respect for firearms. DS isn't even allowed to shoot play guns at people.

 

[Cdn Gal]

Do water guns count??

 

[crz4mm2]

not only do we have guns under the bed, we have one standing by the back door.....

I see no problem with this.

Of course I do not have small children, but even when my kids were LITTLE they knew not to touch guns.......

 

[Cdn Gal]

Unfortunately we are one of those people that Michael Moore talks about in one of his 'documentaries.' We don't lock our door b/c we don't know where the keys are! If somebody wants to get in they will, with or without locks. We also don't have alot of valuable things in our home- well things that the common person wouldn't know about anyway. Alot of books... mabie the robber would learn something! We never locked our door growing up either. You never know when family will be dropping by and needs to raid your fridge! We have good, old, retired neighbours that watch everything on our street! If people need to steal from us then they need it more than we do. We can always buy more from the yard sales!

 

[mirmartinez]

Unfortunately we are one of those people that Michael Moore talks about in one of his 'documentaries.' We don't lock our door b/c we don't know where the keys are! If somebody wants to get in they will, with or without locks. We also don't have alot of valuable things in our home- well things that the common person wouldn't know about anyway. Alot of books... mabie the robber would learn something! We never locked our door growing up either. You never know when family will be dropping by and needs to raid your fridge! We have good, old, retired neighbours that watch everything on our street! If people need to steal from us then they need it more than we do. We can always buy more from the yard sales!

I lost our last remaining key two years ago.
I grew up in a unlocked house and just kept the tradition.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Oh, no! Poor kids! I hope he misses often!

LOL, I really said that wrong.

We're strict but we're not THAT strict!

 

[Jennasis]

We solved the problem pretty easily. No kids.

hehehe. Our guns are in a safe accessible spot for us...not under the bed though.

 

[Bluestars]

I know this was very unsafe, but growing up in the country my parents kept loaded guns. My dad kept one under his pillow and took it with him in the car on trips. My mom kept one in her purse.

My mom had to pull hers out when some men followed her down the dirt road to our house. Who knows what would have happened had she not been protected.

My dad killed a rattle snake with one and had to pull it out when someone was trying to get into our car (with us in it). The thing was we NEVER touched those guns.

My brother was visiting a friend, who was showing off his dad's gun that they thought wasn't loaded. My brother got shot in the leg.

We have one small gun that is kept unloaded. The bullets are not in the same place as the gun.

 

[Sonya]

Back when I was young, late 70s early 80 dad kept his shotgun in my bedroom closet. It was never loaded, I am not sure he even had any ammo. The thing was so old I don't even know if it would fire. I always wondered why he kept it there. Now I am thinking that it was either to scare away any boy who got too amorous or if someone did break in he was planning on running into my room to protect me and wanted the gun close.

 

[Sanchez]

No guns here. However, my wife wants one. Curiously, she also suggested that we bump up my life insurance coverage.

 

[pweyl36]

I know this was very unsafe, but growing up in the country my parents kept loaded guns. My dad kept one under his pillow and took it with him in the car on trips. My mom kept one in her purse.

My mom had to pull hers out when some men followed her down the dirt road to our house. Who knows what would have happened had she not been protected.

My dad killed a rattle snake with one and had to pull it out when someone was trying to get into our car (with us in it). The thing was we NEVER touched those guns.

My brother was visiting a friend, who was showing off his dad's gun that they thought wasn't loaded. My brother got shot in the leg.

We have one small gun that is kept unloaded. The bullets are not in the same place as the gun.

Same here,my dad would keep a loaded shot gun and told us where it was ,because we lived in the coutry on back rds plus there was a prison down the rd and sometimes there were ecsapes. I do rememeber when my dad yell get the gun to kill a snake or if he saw deer on our land.