Protecting Family at Home

 There is a lot of talk right now about guns ending up in the hands of children. Accidental shootings, kids taking weapons to school, and just overall violence on the streets or in our neighborhoods. Providing education on gun safety is important to parents, grandparents, caregivers, and children, but often; it isn’t enough. We have to go one step further in protecting family at home and then the ones we love will be more protected outside of the home as well.

Guns in the Wrong Hands

For years, we have talked about keeping guns out of the hands of children to prevent them from accidentally causing injury to themselves or others. Now, though, we also live in a world where guns end up in the wrong hands. When we watch our children or other loved ones walk out of our doors, we have to hope that they return to us without harm. The problem is; we often do not see the trouble before it comes. Children get bullied at school and perhaps act in ways that they do not think about. They see violence on television, video games, the internet, and all around them. In most cases, it is violence that is faked, and they see that same person appearing on another show. In video games, all they have to do is reset it and everything is fine. With guns and real life, there isn’t always a reset button. Therefore, we have to take action to ensure that our children do not have access to guns. This will give them a chance to calm down to protect another person’s child.

Keeping Families Safe

Parents, grandparents, and virtually all others feel the need to keep guns in their home. This is not a misguided desire. We have to protect those we love and there is a time and a place for them. However, we must take care to ensure they are used in the right way. Holsters and keeping guns locked up at home is the best course of action for all parents and caregivers. It is also important to protect your family in the event of a home invasion where your own weapon could be put into the wrong hands.

Other Safety Options

Having a safe in your home does provide you with a perfect place for your weapons. Only you should know where they are located. Therefore, many safes that are available are hidden. You can have gun cabinets behind walls, in nightstand drawers that have a fake bottom, hideaway areas in your couch, coffee table, or under the bed. There are even fake shelving units that have secret compartments. All these things are ideal for keeping your guns and other valuables hidden away, but you can go further. Limit access to the areas where your guns are hidden. Iron baby gates for stairs, locked cabinets or bedroom closets, etc. You should especially be able to lock the room with your safe if you are entertaining guests or have an older child that is curious about your bedroom. It may be somewhat annoying to hide things away, but in the interest of safety, it could be worth it.