An experiment was held in Iowa in which a firearm, not real –but realistic– and unable to fire, was left in a room where eight children were let into. The results have many people worried, but at least a few parents were happy with the results.
Out of the eight children, all but two participated and played with the firearm. Those two children, by no coincidence, come from homes with firearms already in them. The difference? Their parents have already had talks with them about what to do, and what not to do, if they should ever come across a firearm.
The video, part of which is seen below, is a perfect demonstration of how important it is to have the firearm talk with children. The younger they learn, the safer they’ll be.
It takes just seconds for the firearm to be picked up by one of the kids, one of which comes from a non-gun owning family and has not had ‘the talk’ yet. The children in this experiment are preschool and kindergarten age.
While I don’t have children of my own (that I know of), it’s important to remember that ‘the talk’ isn’t about scaring children and demonizing the firearm. Rather, it’s important to let them know the dangers, and make sure they know to inform an adult if they happen upon a firearm. Never underestimate a child’s understanding of real-world encounters like this one, and it’s always better for them to go into a situation like this with some knowledge of firearms. Teaching firearm safety at a young age is crucial not only for gun-owning families, but all families in general.
For all the parents out there, how do you discuss this very topic with your young children? Let us know in the comments section below.
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