Should Families Teach Kids How To Use Guns (Safely)?

Introduction For many families, the presence of guns in the home is considered pretty normal. According to the Pew Research Group, about one in three American households with children under the age of 18 say that they have a gun. And some parents who expose their kids to guns early say training in firearm safety keeps accidents from happening and may actually make kids more cautious around guns. “All children should be taught firearm safety if they’re interested in firearms,” said  Buck Buchanan, a master instructor at a shooting range in Livermore, California. “[Parents should] give them that opportunity, if they are interested, to present it in a safe environment.” One of those parents, Sadiq Anthony, goes to the shooting range with his two daughters, Hazel, 11, and Mariam, 16. They are preparing for their first hunting trip together as a family.  “I always say that safety comes first,” said Sadiq. Mariam says that she likes target practice at the range. “When I hold a gun I feel kind of powerful,” said Mariam. “I think it’s okay for children to shoot guns if they’ve taken a safety course. I think there needs to be a certain level of maturity.” But some studies tell a different side of the story -- that having access to a gun in general increases teens’ risk of suicide, for example. And while some researchers have found a lower suicide risk of harm for families who practice safe storage of their firearms, a recent report found that 41 percent of teens say they have easy access to guns being stored in their home. Do Now How should we educate young people about the possibilities of gun violence without causing them to live in fear? To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDEdspace and end it with #DoNowSafety   Featured Resource: VIDEO: Lessons In Gun Safety: From Father to Daughters (Youth Radio) Firearm ownership is more prevalent in the United States than in any other country. This video profiles one California father who hopes to continue his family's hunting legacy by teaching his two daughters about gun safety.   Other Resources VIDEO: Teens and Guns (Youth Radio) Many young people have easy access to guns, but don’t necessarily know how to stay safe around them. In this video, teenagers in the Bay Area discuss their relationship with guns and how they try to stay safe when shootings occur. AUDIO: Hunting In Peace (KQED) In this perspective, Carrie Holmberg tells us a story of her father, his love of hunting, and how it brought them closer when she was a kid.