Guns

Growing up in North Carolina, and granted, we are talking a long time ago, never did we practice a lock down drill in school? We practiced a lot of other drills, tornado drills and yes, even back when I was really young, we did practice for bombs. But not lock down drills.

I really hate that my kids will grow up in a society where they have to practice these things. They have to know where safe rooms are in their house or in their classes. I hate that they have to be on guard for others. And as I was talking about the lock down drill with my sons, they were telling me all the scenarios that could happen as to why they would need to go into hiding at school.

And it was at that moment, for the very first time, I thought about pulling my kids out and home schooling them. The idea of the boys having to hide because of a threat at the school is mind blowing. And no, I’m not going to even go down the road on gun violence, because it is such a polarizing discussion that it wouldn’t be beneficial. But it is scary as a parent to even think of those situations and yet, we all remember Sandy Hook.

I don’t know where in our society that we took a wrong turn? I don’t know what has happened, but as a parent, it is scary as hell! It is scary to think that my sons, the loves of my life, could be put in danger because they are in a school, which is supposed to be a safe environment.

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I will start off this topic by stating for the record, that I will not confirm or deny that I have firearms in the house.

That being said, there are a few things that I think that should be done when having firearms in the house.
1) There needs to be a conversation between you and your spouse. Both parties need to be aware and in agreement that there are/will be firearms in the house. And both you and your spouse need to be able to safely and responsibly be able to handle the firearms in the house as well.
2) Firearms that are in the house should be locked up. The firearms should be locked up and the keys should be in a place that you as the adult can easily reach the guns easily, but that the children can not.
3) The needs to be a conversation with your children when they are of age, to know, understand and respect firearms. The first time that I held a firearm, I believe that I was 10.  I knew that my father them in the house and I knew that I was not supposed to touch them. I was raised to respect firearms, not be afraid of them. But I also knew what would happen to me if I touched them when my father was not there as well.  And let’s just say that I would not be able to sit comfortably the rest of the night.
4) I personally would not want to teach my children how to shoot a firearm, for no other reason than, I think that there are others that could do it better and ensure better gun safety tips than I could.
5) Have them join the NRA, even as a Jr. Member.

I believe that you as an American citizen has the right under the 2nd Amendment to have the right to own firearms. But I also think that as a parent, you have a right to yourself and your children to be smart when it comes to firearms.

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