Why I Teach My Kids How to Safely Handle A Gun

When I was around 12 years old, my son’s current age, I rode my bike over to a friend’s house. In the 1980s, I lived in the Florida Panhandle, where guns were as common as rebel flag curtains. (My family owned neither guns nor rebel flags, however.)

This friend and his brother looked like Tweedledee and Tweedledum, just not as clean. Dee wanted to show me something in his parent’s bedroom. In between the mattress and boxspring sat a handgun. All I remember is the pearl handle, and Dee pointing it at my face. I laughed it off but remember being uncomfortable. After all, we played soldiers with fake Berettas in the woods all the time. Thirty years later, as a father myself, I realize how serious the situation was and could have been. And now, thanks to the aftermath of COVID-19 and general societal unease, the number of new gun owners has given me pause.

The New Gun Owner

These aren’t folks who already have guns; these are people like my mom — people who may have never owned or operated a firearm in their lives. Yet they felt the need (for numerous reasons) to buy a firearm — in Mom’s case, a semi-automatic 9mm pistol, quickly exchanged for a hammerless .

38-caliber revolver. Mom made a good move on the swap, yet I’m still on the fence about her owning a handgun. She’s in her 70s now, and I don’t know if she has ever shot it. The concealed carry class is not on her to-do list.

Now, think about that 5 million figure for a minute. Let’s assume a generous 80 percent of these new gun owners know how to handle a firearm and store it safely. That leaves 1 million new “Tweedledees” out there potentially putting others, like my kids, at risk.

Of course, I am only assuming careless people exist, because I can’t back that up with data. I am not aware of any surveys asking gun owners, “Are you careless when it comes to gun safety and storage?”

Be the Example

So, rather than pretend guns don’t exist, I chose to teach my kids about them, the proper way to handle them and the immense responsibility that comes with living with them. Why?

For starters, I own guns. Even though they are locked away and not under a mattress, they are still in my house. As a gun owner and parent, it’s on me to make sure they are handled safely and responsibly, by me and my kids.

Second, not everyone stores their guns responsibly. Tweedledee’s parents are one example. Here’s another. Last year I was helping a neighbor (who has kids my age) clean his garage. On the floor was a gym bag with a handgun and a loaded magazine — just hanging out next to the dog food. Were my kids to find it, my sincere hope is that I had done my job and they would walk home immediately and tell me. I have since spoken to both my kids about it. For anyone reading this who thinks a hidden gun is a safe gun, think again. There are plenty of ways to store firearms securely while preserving quick access — check out this list from NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program for some suggestions.

Take Them Hunting

Rather than just tell my kids guns can be dangerous, I show them first-hand. We plink soda cans, shoot targets and hunt deer. In every outing that involves guns, there are steadfast rules about muzzle control, situational awareness, proper use of the safety and the list goes on. Because both kids want to one-up the other one, they want to be a better marksman than their sibling. It’s a game, but one in which they learn how to be safe around firearms. When they screw up — for example forgetting where that muzzle is pointed — they miss their turn, get a lecture and earn the right to wash and vacuum the truck.

While neither kid of mine has been with me on a hunt where I killed an elk or deer, they have seen me shoot a grouse in the head with a .22. It was, to say the least, an experience none of us will forget — there was blood and lots of postmortem twitching. But, my kids understand my rifles are used to take the life of a living thing and the grouse’s breast meat breaded and fried to perfection is one way we honor its life.

And I hope that reality translates to the handgun sitting inside the locked closet as well. Yes, they are only kids, but they seem to understand what firearms can do to a living creature, be they four-legged or two. It’s a heavy load for a 9-year-old, and I’m okay with that.

If and when my son or daughter has an encounter with their own Tweedledee, I want them to know how to come out of it alive. Better yet, I hope they avoid the situation altogether.

PJ DelHomme has been writing and editing for a number of conservation organizations, outdoor companies and publications on hunting, fishing, wildlife and conservation for more than 20 years. He currently owns Crazy Canyon Media, a content creation company based in Montana. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Montana State University and a master’s of science in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. This blog is submitted in partnership with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.