If there is a gun in your home, it must be kept out reach of your children and their friends. Children are naturally curious and like to explore. If there is a gun in your home, keep it unloaded and locked away, separate from the bullets, with the key available only to responsible adults. Teach your children what to do if they find a gun, even if they are not sure if it is real or a toy. Before your child visits the home of a friend or a baby sitter, ask the parents at that home if they have a gun in the house and, if so, if the gun is unloaded and locked away.
Teenagers often act without thinking first.
When teenagers are angry or depressed, they are more likely to kill themselves or harm themselves if they can easily get a gun. It's best not to have a gun in your home at all if someone who lives there is depressed or thinking of suicide, or is a troubled teenager. Children learn how to behave by watching and doing what the adults around them are doing. It's best for the parents to talk peacefully in the home, to solve problems with discussion instead of anger or physical violence, and to treat all people with respect. This handout provides a general overview on this topic and may not apply to everyone.