How to Talk to Your Young Children About Firearms
Do you have firearms at home because of your profession? Do your kids see how people use firearms on the news? You need to talk about guns with your children.
Many children play with toy guns every day; pistols, submachine guns, swords … It seems normal for children to become familiar with these types of ‘ toys ‘. But what do little ones really need to know about firearms? When there is a news story on television where one person kills another by shooting him … It is not a game at all.
Sadly, gun violence is nothing new in our society. There are many devastating events that occur around the world where people with guns kill others. At times, this can be a difficult topic to deal with with children. It is the duty of parents to be open and honest, no matter how old they are.
Parents must calm children’s fears while giving them a chance to process the terrible events in the world. If you don’t know how to talk to your young children about guns, then read on to find an easy way to do it.
YOU WILL TRY TO KEEP THEM ALWAYS SAFE
It is important for children to know that their parents will always do what they can to keep them safe. Children of any age need to know and feel that they are safe. For this reason, you should let them know that you will always do everything in your power to protect them. This comforting reassurance will help you feel better.
LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE SAFE AT SCHOOL
In the news it has appeared more than once how young people entered their schools in other countries and shot everyone they encountered, killing some and wounding others. This news can be frightening for children, even if the event happened in the other part of the world.
Tell your children that their school is safe and that they have nothing to fear. In both young and older children it is necessary that they preserve their love for education and for the educational center, for this, they must feel it as a safe space.
TALK ABOUT GUNS
A conversation about gun violence is a good time to establish or review your family’s gun safety policy, especially if there are members who are hunters. Many families with hunter members or with adults who are state security forces, may have weapons at home. Children should know that they should never touch the weapons they find and if they do not know what to do they should always look for you to know what to do.
IN TIMES OF DANGER
If you have firearms at home, it is necessary that in addition to the safety that you must do at home about them, children should know that in times of danger they must follow the instructions of an adult, and if they are alone in a moment of danger they should run away, escape and seek a safe haven.
LET ME ASK QUESTIONS
Children of all ages should feel confident enough with their parents to be able to ask the questions their restless minds require. When answering their questions, it is very important that you be honest and speak to them taking into account their age and information processing ability. Think about your answers taking into account their level of maturity.
You need to adapt your answers to the age of your children. The older the child, the more you will have to delve into the conversation. While you may not want to talk to a 4-year-old about some things, you do need to talk to 14-year-olds.
The important thing above all is that children feel safe in the face of how this society uses firearms. Responsibility in one’s own actions is key in these cases.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.