How would you handle this? Gun question.

[Country Kids]

I would never keep my child in a daycare that I knew had guns either. Someone can ssure me all they want that the gun and ammo are locked up and would never be in the reach of a child... but I would never truly know. I know one could argue that there are all kinds of dangerous items in a home at any given time (kitchen knives being one) that kids have easier access too and I'd never know - but it's my right as a parent to not want my child in a home I know has a gun in it.

I would never, however, dictate to the provider that they shouldn't have a gun in their home. I would simply let them know that it's not something I was comfortable with, would give appropriate notice and leave on my own accord.

Will your child never be able to visit friends home that have guns in them? Will you ask every friend your child makes if they have guns in the home? You maybe surprised how many people actually have guns in their homes. Also, do you realize how many people probably carry guns on them and you would never know? I saw a man the other day in Wal-mart with one just strapped to his side. My hubs said he probably had a permit for it-no he wasn't an officer either.

[Texasjeepgirl]

Will your child never be able to visit friends home that have guns in them? Will you ask every friend your child makes if they have guns in the home? You maybe surprised how many people actually have guns in their homes. Also, do you realize how many people probably carry guns on them and you would never know? I saw a man the other day in Wal-mart with one just strapped to his side. My hubs said he probably had a permit for it-no he wasn't an officer either.

Some states have OPEN CARRY laws... ARIZONA has always been an OPEN CARRY State.
Apparently Oklahoma just passed an OPEN CARRY LAW... my husband was commenting about it just the other day because we live 5 miles from Oklahoma border... and frequently go over to the casino...

[spud912]

My husband is in law enforcement so we do own a gun. The gun is kept on the top shelf in a lock and key safe and the bullets are kept in the office in our locked file cabinet. I am legally unlicensed but follow the licensing rules with guns. I don't disclose that I have guns unless the parents ask, to which I'm completely upfront and discuss our safety precautions that are in place.

As far as my comfort level with guns, I absolutely do not fear them at all, but I make sure my children respect them and what they are capable of. I've discussed with all of the daycare children what to do if they see something anywhere that resembles a gun (most importantly not to touch it and go tell an adult about it).

I suppose if a family has enough of an issue with our gun (which is far less dangerous for a small child compared to many other objects in my house due to our safety precautions and those found on the gun itself), then we are not the right fit for the family in the first place.

[spud912]

Some states have OPEN CARRY laws... ARIZONA has always been an OPEN CARRY State.
Apparently Oklahoma just passed an OPEN CARRY LAW... my husband was commenting about it just the other day because we live 5 miles from Oklahoma border... and frequently go over to the casino...

We recently passed a concealed carry law which allows people to carry a weapon concealed without any special training. The important thing to note is that these individuals must still pass a comprehensive background check prior to owning a gun in the first place.

[Blackcat31]

Will your child never be able to visit friends home that have guns in them? Will you ask every friend your child makes if they have guns in the home? You maybe surprised how many people actually have guns in their homes. Also, do you realize how many people probably carry guns on them and you would never know? I saw a man the other day in Wal-mart with one just strapped to his side. My hubs said he probably had a permit for it-no he wasn't an officer either.

When my children were young I was VERY careful to ask if there were guns in any home they were going to be visiting or staying in.

It is something my DH and I felt strongly about at the time and none of the parents of friends my children had ever lied or were dishonest or taken a aback by us asking about any guns in their home.

We were asked by a few parents as well so I know we weren't the only ones.

In my state people can get a permit to carry a conceled weapon but most stores have signs stating that by law if you are carrying a gun, you need to check it at the entrance of the store or let them know you have one. Not sure about the law but I have seen the signs everywhere lately.

[littlemissmuffet]

Will your child never be able to visit friends home that have guns in them? Will you ask every friend your child makes if they have guns in the home? You maybe surprised how many people actually have guns in their homes. Also, do you realize how many people probably carry guns on them and you would never know? I saw a man the other day in Wal-mart with one just strapped to his side. My hubs said he probably had a permit for it-no he wasn't an officer either.

Guns are not as common in Canada as they are in the US, but to answer your questions:

No, our child will not be able to stay at a friend's where there is a gun if myself or husband are not present.

I plan to build a report with my child's friends parents (just as my mother did with all my friends parents - and I had MANY friends, moving towns/schools yearly), so yes, I have every intention of checking to see if there are firearms in the home if they are planning on visiting or spending the night.

I do realize that people carry guns on them (I myself carry a knife at all time outside of the home) and I would never know, but there is a HUGE difference between my child walking by a stranger in WalMart who has a gun strapped to their side, than knowingly letting my child visit a home where there is a firearm - that my child COULD have potential access too. Accidents happen, all the time.

[e.j.]

Will your child never be able to visit friends home that have guns in them? Will you ask every friend your child makes if they have guns in the home? You maybe surprised how many people actually have guns in their homes.

I know you addressed this to someone else but it reminded me of a situation my dd ran into at my brother's house. My brother and sil had invited my dd over to their house to play with my niece for the day. Both girls were about 11 at the time. That afternoon, my sil left the girls alone in the house to go pick up her son at work. While she was gone, a special weather report came on the tv saying we were under a tornado watch. After she got home, my dd told me that her cousin had become scared and ran into my brother and sil's bedroom. She came out waving a gun. (Don't ask me what she was thinking!) Thank God the gun wasn't loaded but if it had been, a horrible tragedy could have happened that day. I knew my brother owned a gun but he had always assured me that it was well hidden and that his kids had no idea where it was. After I heard what had happened, I made it a point to ask parents in any home my kids were invited to if they had guns. If they did, their kids were welcome in my home but I chose not to allow my kids to visit in their homes. I'm sure some thought I was being over-protective but I felt it just wasn't worth the potential risk. So...yeah....I would (and did) ask about guns in the home.

[Country Kids]

Guns are not as common in Canada as they are in the US, but to answer your questions:

No, our child will not be able to stay at a friend's where there is a gun if myself or husband are not present.

I plan to build a report with my child's friends parents (just as my mother did with all my friends parents - and I had MANY friends, moving towns/schools yearly), so yes, I have every intention of checking to see if there are firearms in the home if they are planning on visiting or spending the night.

I do realize that people carry guns on them (I myself carry a knife at all time outside of the home) and I would never know, but there is a HUGE difference between my child walking by a stranger in WalMart who has a gun strapped to their side, than knowingly letting my child visit a home where there is a firearm - that my child COULD have potential access too. Accidents happen, all the time.

What kind of knife do you carry? The only reason I'm asking is-do you carry it when you have your daycare children with you when you go on field trips and such.

Don't you take your dck's places with you on public transit and do pretty long walks with them? I'm guessing you would then carry it with you then because your outside your home. Do you have to have a permit to do that and do you let your parents know?

[littlemissmuffet]

What kind of knife do you carry? The only reason I'm asking is-do you carry it when you have your daycare children with you when you go on field trips and such.

Don't you take your dck's places with you on public transit and do pretty long walks with them? I'm guessing you would then carry it with you then because your outside your home. Do you have to have a permit to do that and do you let your parents know?

I carry a locking pocket knife which I can legally carry concealed at all times. Yes, I carry it whenever I am out of the house - with or without my daycare children. Yes, my daycare parents know about the knife, and there is a section in my handbook which outlines this very issue.
I am not sure how this relates to the gun-issue, however?

[daycare]

I have not read every response, but I do know that most people who are afraid of them is only because they are not educated about them. Well I guess I could say that about most things....

I grew up where it's normal to see machine guns being carried down the street by young children, but I also did not grow up here.


One of my good friends dated a guy from Indy and he had a young son age 4. All he would talk about is how much he wanted to take his son hunting. My friend, a city girl just could not relate to the dad's desire to take his 4 year old hunting and actually broke up with him.... OMG...but it's because they grew up in two totally different places. No 4 year old would be seen in SF with a gun trying to hunt...

I think that you have done all that you can, maybe try to educate her a little is the only thing that I can say and let her know that you are staying in compliance with all of the rules of being a gun owner with a daycare.

[Childminder]

I carry a locking pocket knife which I can legally carry concealed at all times. Yes, I carry it whenever I am out of the house - with or without my daycare children. Yes, my daycare parents know about the knife, and there is a section in my handbook which outlines this very issue.
I am not sure how this relates to the gun-issue, however?

IMHO it relates in that it is a weapon. Even a butter knife is not allowed within the schools in our community to cut a birthday cake. Potential weapon.

[Country Kids]

IMHO it relates in that it is a weapon. Even a butter knife is not allowed within the schools in our community to cut a birthday cake. Potential weapon.

Yes, that is exactly what I was thinking-its still a weapon as a gun is.


I think how people zero in on guns but not all the other dangers/oddities of a persons house or their surroundings.

A friend of mine was visiting a friends house and the first thing she noticed on the coffee table was several "Mens" magazines. Not your average coffee table book but I guess this was the norm for this family. Prominent family and all but thats what they chose to have out.

When people ask about if there are guns in the house do you also ask about alcohol/maybe drugs/other weapons (sword,knifes) that children seem to always find.

I think you take your life more in your hands being out in the public not knowing what people are carrying strapped to their sides then when visiting a house that has a gun.

None of those people had the chance to ask at Colenbine,Virginia Tech, The shooting in Colorado, the shooting in Texas at the base, and then today there was an incident with a bow and arrow. None of those people had the chance to ask-hey are you carrying a weapon.

We want to drill education in our children heads-the best education to start off with-Real Life. Life skills and education on safety. All types including gun safety. I was shocked when I was reading a Hunters Safety Manual they actual had a portion to "Don't look down the barrel of a gun"-:confused: I always thought commen sense would tell you that.

When I was little we always had a loaded gun next to my parents bed. I NEVER even thought about touching that gun as I knew the consequences of it. More people were killed in farm machine accidents then guns.

So education is the key-not fear!

[littlemissmuffet]

IMHO it relates in that it is a weapon. Even a butter knife is not allowed within the schools in our community to cut a birthday cake. Potential weapon.

I understand that it's a weapon, but in my opinion ANYTHING can be used as a weapon. A child is going to be exposed to knives on a regular basis for their entire lives... guns, not so much. Also, the chances of a fatality from a knife accident involving a child is much slimmer than a fatality from a gun accident involving a child.
A child would not be able to open my knife as it auto safety locks, but if a parent had an issue with having their child in my home because my husband and I both carry knives I would completely respect and understand that!

[Willow]

IMHO it relates in that it is a weapon. Even a butter knife is not allowed within the schools in our community to cut a birthday cake. Potential weapon.

Add to that, there is no way to disengage the blade of a knife.

I would argue a pocket knife in a providers pants pocket is a far more dangerous implement than an unloaded, trigger locked firearm secured in a fireproof locked safe with ammo stored separately in another locked box on a completely different floor than the daycare children are ever on would ever be.

[Willow]

A child would not be able to open my knife as it auto safety locks,

And a child would be able to shoot an unloaded gun....with a trigger lock....in a locked safe....on a different floor than they ever set foot on.....??