Skip to main content

The Gun Talk

As a hunting, pro-gun family I have one very important thing in common with my anti-gun friends, and that is that we BOTH want to keep guns out of the hands of our kids.

I remember the first time I awkwardly had "the talk" with a fellow mom.
My husband had been in the garage reloading ammo and the neighbor boy was intently watching and asking questions and then said: "I'm going to tell my dad he needs to learn to do this."
My heart sunk as I realized if this kid just ran home and told his parents that the neighbor was playing with bullets in his garage, it could definitely be blown-up and misunderstood.
So I text his mom, and in true Brandy-style, I word vomited more than needed to be said.

"Hey. We definitely weren't playing with guns around your kid. My husband is just reloading ammo. All our guns are under lock and key, but because guns were being talked about, we also told your son that he is never allowed to touch any in our house if for some weird reason he did come across one. I hope that's ok. I'm sorry if we crossed any lines".

There are 100 ways I could have worded it better or handled the situation differently, but at the end of the day, a fellow mom now knew that we had guns in our home and that we felt strongly about keeping the kids safe around them.

When I was a kid, every family I knew had guns, and as kids, we just knew the rules not to touch without mom or dad around.
But, becoming a parent has made me realize we can do so much better than that.

I know that my rule-following, obedient, sweet kid who won't even smash a spider, has been known to act a fool and forget rules with the excitement of friends around.

So, she may KNOW that she shouldn't touch our guns, but will she remember when it matters?
I certainly don't want to gamble her life to find out.
So we lock our guns up.

I'm not saying you buy a lock instead of talking with your kids about gun safety, though.
We need both!

Gun safety doesn't begin and end with gun owners either.

Non-gun owners, you need to be having these conversations too. It's not just about asking other parents if there are unsecured guns in their home.
You have to start talking with your kids.
Tell them that guns are not toys and that they kill what they are pointed at.
Tell them to treat EVERY gun like it is loaded,  which means you don't pick it up and you definitely don't point it at anyone.
Tell them if they see a gun to go tell an adult.

If you are comfortable enough, go shoot targets with your kids (your local gun range rents guns and could help). Understanding first-hand how guns actually work - and can sometimes hurt to shoot - will take away the mystery and bring about the respect that guns require.

In a time where guns are such a divisive topic, we need to set aside the politics of the conversation and address the practical things we can be doing to keep kids safe.
There is a middle ground where safety and responsibility are paramount.
Let's hold each other accountable and make the gun conversation a normal conversation.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

To The Person Questioning This Autism Thing

"Autism wasn't a thing in my day." "Doctors just want to diagnose everything these days. Everybody is sick with some made up thing". "A spankin' should knock the 'autism' right out of him." Oh, the things I was told in those early days of getting Wyatt diagnosed. It was probably the most insecure time in my life. I knew the doctors were onto something, but I would listen to these people talk at me and nod my head in silent agreement, and then cry in my car on the way home because of the fear that no one would accept my son for who he was if he didn't fit the cookie cutter mold of All American Boy. I also know this story is the same for just about everyone who's child receives an autism diagnosis. Because of that, a lot of families --ours included-- choose not to talk about the diagnosis. I've finally come to realize that people don't say these things to be malicious or to devalue our children. They say it because they...
Post a Comment
Read more

You Deserve A Full Cup

"You can't pour from an empty cup, so fill your own first." The words paint such a beautiful picture of how life should be. When you start to feel empty, everything just magically stops so you can "refill your cup." But life doesn't work that way, does it? In fact, it seems that when we need that break to refuel the most, is when there is absolutely no time for yourself. There are chores to be done, sippy cups to fill, butts to wipe, practices to make, dinners to cook, bills to pay, and the very last thing on that list is "fill your own cup." And what does that even mean anyway? How does one fill their metaphorical cup? As women, the formula for success is pretty clear. To be the best version of yourself you need to wear fashionable clothing, have your hair done, drink iced coffee, wax, contour, cardio, drink a gallon of water, avoid sweet treats, yoga, meditate, and substitute all your carbs for cauliflower. Let me tell you, friends, I sp...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Big A Word

"He's on the Spectrum," she said. The words rolled off her tongue like it was nothing. Like she had just told me the sky was blue. But those words sent tears rolling down my cheeks and sucked the air from my lungs. We had been dancing around this diagnosis for over a year, but hearing the words made it so real. I knew that my son was different. I knew that he had struggles that needed to be addressed. But the big A word. Autism. My son was Autistic. I wish I could go back to that moment and tell myself what I know now. I wish I knew what a gift this diagnosis would be. I wish I knew it would open the door that would completely change Wyatt's life for the better. I think the #1 thing people ask me, is "How did you know he had Autism?" The answer is, I didn't. Not until that phone call. The reality though is that knowing he had autism, wasn't nearly as important as the moment I knew he and I needed help. That moment came when he was 2 1/2...
Post a Comment
Read more