We have a few (I'm military and grew up in a military family) and keep them locked up in a safe, unloaded, and ammo in a separate locked safe. I don't mind at all if people ask, and I try to remember to mention it if I think the family will want to know (honestly with my military friends and my family it's not unusual so I don't always think of it). I've obviously talked about gun safety with my kiddos (including what to do if they see a gun). It's just another safety question, like swimming pool safety.

I don't get why so many gun owners are defensive. Different people have different values and thresholds for risk. Every time we have a new kid over to play, I always offer to have the parent come and stay during the playdate if that is important to them. They don't know me. They don't know about my household. If they chose not to let their kid play at my house because we have a pool or dogs or anything else, i wouldn't take it personally. We'll do something else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If securely locked, of course. Gee whiz, guns don't radiate cooties.

I wouldn't expect parents to disclose, any more than I would expect them to relay the full details of their burglar alarm system.

WTH? I’m in the medical field. How many families thought that their guns were securely locked to only have a terrible accident with their child or child’s friend? Routine well child visits now include asking about guns in the house because it’s pretty high on the list of childhood injuries, some lethal.

I am also in the medical filed. WTH? Do you know know many children are killed and injured each day in auto accidents? Never, ever let your child into a car!

Our pediatrician always asks about guns in the home. She also always asks about proper use of car seats and booster seats. Also, it is just not realistic to raise your child away from all car travel but you can certainly raise your child away from guns if you choose.

When I was a teenager I learned my dad kept a gun in his briefcase and he always just left his briefcase in the front hall when he came home! I try to remember to ask families before we go there for the first time and last Christmas before visiting my parents I asked if they still have guns. Last year one woman told me they have her gun in the home because she’s in law enforcement. (Mom from preschool was hosting a birthday party so I didn’t know her well.) I asked if she’d be willing to tell me how it’s secured. She said there was a trigger lock, the gun was kept up high, and said ammo was kept elsewhere. I realized I didn’t really know the terms so I asked my brother-in-law, who is an avid hunter, paramedic, and person who is very passionate about gun safety whether her answers seemed okay or what else I should ask. He gave me an additional question or two to ask about the trigger lock. The gun owner did not seem at all put off by my questions and I think if she had I would have declined the invite. It’s harder with my parents and brother and sister’s family all owning guns but my parents say they don’t have it anymore, my brother in law keeps everything in a safe in the garage and we haven’t stayed with my brother for awhile but hopefully he’s being careful too - he has 3 kids under 10.

I don't think it is the question that triggers people...it is the ridiculous responses....

Why are people so triggered by a simple question?

Jewelry doesn't kill children but parents do. Maim, injure, kill. Have you ever worked in social work or a hospital emergency room? Law enforcement? Don't let your child near a parent!

And so do automobiles!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey neighbor, I've got a checklist for you to see if you are worthy of hosting my kids!

OP, my kids are gonna stay far, far away from you.

I doubt it. I could be your best friend (if you have any friends) and you would never know! Hahaha

dp pp do you lie because you think nobody will come over to your house? I think it is shameful you can't be honest when someone asks you a direct question. What else would you be willing to lie about?

Exactly, if everyone here is like it’s no big deal to have a gun, then why hide or lie about it?

For the same reason you don’t tell people you had a safe with valuable jewelry, firearms are incredibly valuable for resale to criminals. My neighbor’s house was burgled, stole a little money and all the locked guns.

But jewelry can't potentially kill you. Guns can and do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If securely locked, of course. Gee whiz, guns don't radiate cooties.

I wouldn't expect parents to disclose, any more than I would expect them to relay the full details of their burglar alarm system.

WTH? I’m in the medical field. How many families thought that their guns were securely locked to only have a terrible accident with their child or child’s friend? Routine well child visits now include asking about guns in the house because it’s pretty high on the list of childhood injuries, some lethal.

I am also in the medical filed. WTH? Do you know know many children are killed and injured each day in auto accidents? Never, ever let your child into a car!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If securely locked, of course. Gee whiz, guns don't radiate cooties.

I wouldn't expect parents to disclose, any more than I would expect them to relay the full details of their burglar alarm system.

WTH? I’m in the medical field. How many families thought that their guns were securely locked to only have a terrible accident with their child or child’s friend? Routine well child visits now include asking about guns in the house because it’s pretty high on the list of childhood injuries, some lethal.

Not snark but I'd love to see a study of childhood gun injury with statistics broken down by how the weapon was believed to have been secured.

Most of the news reports I have seen of children accidentally shooting a gun were of people finding weapons in purses, in Grandma's drawer, in a closet or under a bed - not accessing a safe that the adult erroneously thought was locked.

Anonymous wrote:We have guns but no one has ever asked.

I pretty much just assume most households have one. Is that not the case? Most people I know have one.

It’s not the case. Most of us don’t. It’s your peer group.

We have guns but no one has ever asked.

I pretty much just assume most households have one. Is that not the case? Most people I know have one.

Would never think to ask, but all of my family have guns ( from PA) and so we have had him safety talks with DC already. Not a worry for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey neighbor, I've got a checklist for you to see if you are worthy of hosting my kids!

OP, my kids are gonna stay far, far away from you.

I doubt it. I could be your best friend (if you have any friends) and you would never know! Hahaha

dp pp do you lie because you think nobody will come over to your house? I think it is shameful you can't be honest when someone asks you a direct question. What else would you be willing to lie about?

Exactly, if everyone here is like it’s no big deal to have a gun, then why hide or lie about it?

For the same reason you don’t tell people you had a safe with valuable jewelry, firearms are incredibly valuable for resale to criminals. My neighbor’s house was burgled, stole a little money and all the locked guns.

LOL really good reason there to justify things. Yea, your neighbor is going to rob you of your gun. No, it’s going to be Jimmy’s parents who live in the other neighborhood. And yea, their parents are going to announce to everyone at the school that you have a gun.