[Nathan]

What are your thoughts about having guns in the house with young children?

(1) They will be around guns anyway. We might as well teach them how to be safe.

(2) Guns are ok to be in the house, but we should keep them out of sight and reach of the kids.

(3) I prefer no guns in my home.

[markbarnes19]

I would never have a gun in my home. I'm completely anti-gun. I don't want to hear people quoting the constitution, either, because the right to bear arms does not apply. Guns kill, period. If they didn't exist, far fewer people would die each year. I think people who have guns where small children live are a squeeze away from having a dead child. It happens every single year. My guess is that when someone loses a child to a gun, they will stop repeating that stupid refrain, "Guns don't kill people; people kill people." Please!

[babydawn]

Why is it that the right to bear arms does not apply? The second amendment reads "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Bottom line, the "bad guys" will ALWAYS have guns, giving them up would be a stupid thing to do for the safety of not only our country, but our families as well.

[markbarnes19]

Right to bear arms for citizens was implemented in order to create the militia, of which you speak, so we could fight for freedom. I'll give you that people do have a legal right to bear arms. I just think it should be removed from our constitution. Then, let the police fight the criminals who have them. I realize criminals have guns, but that doesn't mean I'm going to run out and buy one.

[mcmama]

So don't buy one. I went to school with girls who won prizes for marksmanship, and were avidly interested in guns for sports and hunting. I think it is not a bad idea for women who live alone to know how to handle a gun, whether or not you choose to own one.
I would not have a gun in the house where a child lives, because too much can go wrong. I did grow up among people who kept guns in the house - never a problem, because education of the children about the gun and consequences for touching it was part of the routine. And it worked well.
When my kids would want to play at another house after school, I would always ask - who is the adult in the house when you want to be there? If it was the teenage brother, it was no go until I had a talk with the parents and the brother. And one of my questions was - do you have guns in your house? Because if you do, I want an adult supervising the kids, not just a latchkey thing - otherwise they can wait to play at your house until you are home.
A lot of it is common sense.

[markbarnes19]

I don't see the whole women and guns for safety thing. It's just too dangerous. Too many things can go wrong. As far as guns in the home, I still think eventually something tragic is going to happen. It always does.

[nickyswriting]

Hi all!
You can keep a gun in your home, but you must take many precautionary measures! You can read more in my blog: http://safety.families.com/blog/family-gun-safety
Stay Safe!