Guns in a third of our homes. What can we do to keep kids safe?
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the tragic school shooting in Parkland, our children are becoming accustomed to active shooter drills. While the drills may become part of the new routine, we must not become numb to the tragedy of the lives lost from guns.
Each year, 34,000 Americans die from gun violence, and another 74,000 are injured by guns. Approximately 35 percent of adults in Florida own guns. There is a gun in one out of three homes. When a gun is present in the home, the risk of homicide and suicide is three to five times higher. So the question is: What can we do to keep our children safe? The American Academy of Pediatrics is clear about its recommendations to prevent injuries from guns in the home.
Remove guns from the home. This is the most effective way to prevent injury and death from guns. Children and adolescents are developing their identities, exploring their curiosities, and seeking independence and autonomy. Physiologic mood swings and impulsiveness are inevitable, but adding a gun into the equation can turn a bump in the road into a life-ending tragedy. Especially if you are concerned about severe mood swings, depression, or other mental health problems in your child, temporarily store the gun outside of the home. Local police stations will often provide temporary storage in these cases. However, let us remember that all children are at risk. A home without guns is the safest option for all children and the community.
Store guns more safely. Of all unintentional gun-related deaths in children, 80 percent occur in the home. There are several methods to reduce access to guns in your home. First, ensure that guns are unloaded while in storage. Keep bullets stored in a separate, locked location. Additionally, use a secure gunlock to prevent your child from accessing it. These deterrents can prevent tragedies.
Ask about guns in the home. Ask one simple question before sending your child to a friend’s or relative’s house: “Is there an unlocked gun in the house?” Children as young as 5 likely know where firearms are kept in their home, so talking to other parents can prevent children from accessing guns. This may feel awkward to ask, but framing the question in terms of safety may be a useful strategy. For example, you could say, “My son gets into everything, and I’m always worried about his safety, so I wanted to ask if there was an unlocked gun in your home.” Asking this question can save lives.
We are not immune from gun violence. Sadly, we see gun violence in our schools, in our movie theaters, in our offices, and on the news every single day. However, there are concrete steps we can take to protect our children, so let us take action to make our homes safer places for our children. It is our responsibility, too.