Explaing to your kids why you carry
- Thread starter ffrandy
- Start date
It's always tough with kids, but at least they're at the age where they will be able to understand. However, they're still young enough to get scared. You need to tell them the truth without going overboard.
I would start out by asking them what they've seen (on TV?) or heard about as far as crime goes. I'm sure they'll come up with a lot of things. Then simply let them know that you carry to protect yourself in case any of those things happen to you. Let them know that it probably will never happen, but you're just being prepared.
Be sure to set aside a lot of time for questions and answer all of them truthfully. They'll be fine as long as you use a matter-of-fact approach and keep it toned down. As far as the secret part, tell them that a lot of people are afraid of guns and don't like them. Let them know that you don't want everyone to know so you won't scare them.
I would start out by asking them what they've seen (on TV?) or heard about as far as crime goes. I'm sure they'll come up with a lot of things. Then simply let them know that you carry to protect yourself in case any of those things happen to you. Let them know that it probably will never happen, but you're just being prepared.
Be sure to set aside a lot of time for questions and answer all of them truthfully. They'll be fine as long as you use a matter-of-fact approach and keep it toned down. As far as the secret part, tell them that a lot of people are afraid of guns and don't like them. Let them know that you don't want everyone to know so you won't scare them.
Treo
Bullet Proof
The first question I have to ask before I think about telling my kids is can I trust the kids to keep the information confidential. If the answer is no then you don’t tell them.
If you feel they are trust worthy or you don’t care who knows tell them the simple truth.
When the question came up with my grandkids I was lucky. Their father is a dirt bag (two time loser) and when they asked I told them “Because there are people like your dad in the world.” They never questioned it again.
If you feel they are trust worthy or you don’t care who knows tell them the simple truth.
When the question came up with my grandkids I was lucky. Their father is a dirt bag (two time loser) and when they asked I told them “Because there are people like your dad in the world.” They never questioned it again.
I have to respectfully disagree with Treo. I think withholding the information from your kids is a time bomb. They'll either discover it on their own and you'll have to explain it to them when they might be freaked out, or even worse, they'll get ahold of the gun and play with it. Of course you're completely safe, that will never happen, right?
Jay
New member
If you make guns forbidden, and a mystery. children WILL find a way to access the firearm/s. Education is the best method. The following answers to "why carry" is excellent, but I do not know who the author is.
1. We don't carry firearms so that we can ignore other basics of personal safety. Every permit holder that I know realizes that almost all dangerous situations can be avoided by vigilance, alertness and by simply making wise choices about where one goes and what one does. We don't walk down dark alleys. We lock our cars. We don't get intoxicated in public or hang out around people who do. We park our cars in well lighted spots and don't hang out in bad parts of town where we have no business. A gun is our last resort, not our first.
2. We don't think we are cops, spies, or superheroes. We aren't hoping that somebody tries to rob the convenience store while we are there so we can shoot a criminal. We don't take it upon ourselves to get involved in situations that are better handled by a 911 call or by simply standing by and being a good witness. We don't believe our guns give us any authority over our fellow citizens. We also aren't here to be your unpaid volunteer bodyguard. We'll be glad to tell you where we trained and point you to some good gun shops if you feel you want to take this kind of responsibility for your personal safety. Except for extraordinary circumstances your business is your business, don't expect us to help you out of situations you could have avoided.
3. We are LESS likely, not more likely, to be involved in fights or "rage" incidents than the general public. We recognize, better than many unarmed citizens, that we are responsible for our actions. We take the responsibility of carrying a firearm very seriously. We know that loss of temper, getting into fights or angrily confronting someone after a traffic incident could easily escalate into a dangerous situation. We are more likely to go out of our way to avoid these situations. We don't pull our guns to settle arguments or to attempt to threaten people into doing what we want.
4. We are responsible gun owners. We secure our firearms so that children and other unauthorized people cannot access them. Most of us have invested in safes, cases and lock boxes as well as other security measures to keep our firearms secure. Many of us belong to various organizations that promote firearms safety and ownership.
5. Guns are not unsafe or unpredictable. Modern firearms are well made precision instruments. Pieces do not simply break off causing them to fire. A hot day will not set them off. Most modern firearms will not discharge even if dropped. There is no reason to be afraid of a gun simply lying on a table or in a holster. It is not going to discharge on its own.
6. We do not believe in the concept of "accidental discharges". There are no accidental discharges only negligent discharges or intentional discharges. We take responsibility for our actions and have learned how to safely handle firearms. Any case you have ever heard of about a gun "going off" was the result of negligence on somebody's part. Our recognition of our responsibility and familiarity with firearms makes us among the safest firearms owners in America.
7. Permit holders do their best to keep our concealed weapons exactly that: concealed. However, there are times with an observant fellow citizen may spot our firearm or the print of our firearm under our clothes. We are very cognizant that concerns about terrorism and crime are in the forefront of the minds of most citizens. We also realize that our society does much to condition our fellow citizens to have sometimes irrational fears about firearms. We would encourage citizens who do happen to spot someone carrying a firearm to use good judgment and clear thinking if they feel to need to take action. Please recognize that it's very uncommon for a criminal to use a holster. However, if you feel the need to report having spotted a firearm we would ask that you please be specific and detailed in your call to the police or in your report to a store manager or private security. Please don't generalize or sensationalize what you observed. Comments like "there's a guy running around in the store with a gun" or even simply "I saw a man with a gun in the store" could possibly cause a misunderstanding as to the true nature of the incident.
8. The fact that we carry a firearm to any given place does not mean that we believe that place to be inherently unsafe. If we believe a place to be unsafe, most of us would avoid that place all together if possible. However, we recognize that trouble could occur at any place and at any time. Criminals do not observe "gun free zones". If trouble does come, we do not want the only armed persons to be perpetrators. Therefore, we don't usually make a determination about whether or not to carry at any given time based on "how safe" we think a location is.
9. Concealed weapon permit holders are an asset to the public in times of trouble. The fact that most permit holders have the good judgment to stay out of situations better handled by a 911 call or by simply being a careful and vigilant witness does not mean that we would fail to act in situations where the use of deadly force is appropriate to save lives. Review of high profile public shooting incidents shows that when killers are confronted by armed resistance they tend to either break off the attack and flee or choose to end their own life. Lives are saved when resistance engages a violent criminal. Lives are lost when the criminal can do as he pleases.
10. The fact that criminals know that some of the population may be armed at any given time helps to deter violence against all citizens. Permit holders don't believe that every person should necessarily be armed. We recognize that some people may not be temperamentally suited to carry a firearm or simply may wish not to for personal reasons. However we do encourage you to respect our right to arm ourselves. Even if you choose not to carry a firearm yourself please oppose measures to limit the ability of law abiding citizens to be armed. As mentioned before: criminals do not observe "gun free zones". Help by not supporting laws that require citizens to be unarmed victims.
1. We don't carry firearms so that we can ignore other basics of personal safety. Every permit holder that I know realizes that almost all dangerous situations can be avoided by vigilance, alertness and by simply making wise choices about where one goes and what one does. We don't walk down dark alleys. We lock our cars. We don't get intoxicated in public or hang out around people who do. We park our cars in well lighted spots and don't hang out in bad parts of town where we have no business. A gun is our last resort, not our first.
2. We don't think we are cops, spies, or superheroes. We aren't hoping that somebody tries to rob the convenience store while we are there so we can shoot a criminal. We don't take it upon ourselves to get involved in situations that are better handled by a 911 call or by simply standing by and being a good witness. We don't believe our guns give us any authority over our fellow citizens. We also aren't here to be your unpaid volunteer bodyguard. We'll be glad to tell you where we trained and point you to some good gun shops if you feel you want to take this kind of responsibility for your personal safety. Except for extraordinary circumstances your business is your business, don't expect us to help you out of situations you could have avoided.
3. We are LESS likely, not more likely, to be involved in fights or "rage" incidents than the general public. We recognize, better than many unarmed citizens, that we are responsible for our actions. We take the responsibility of carrying a firearm very seriously. We know that loss of temper, getting into fights or angrily confronting someone after a traffic incident could easily escalate into a dangerous situation. We are more likely to go out of our way to avoid these situations. We don't pull our guns to settle arguments or to attempt to threaten people into doing what we want.
4. We are responsible gun owners. We secure our firearms so that children and other unauthorized people cannot access them. Most of us have invested in safes, cases and lock boxes as well as other security measures to keep our firearms secure. Many of us belong to various organizations that promote firearms safety and ownership.
5. Guns are not unsafe or unpredictable. Modern firearms are well made precision instruments. Pieces do not simply break off causing them to fire. A hot day will not set them off. Most modern firearms will not discharge even if dropped. There is no reason to be afraid of a gun simply lying on a table or in a holster. It is not going to discharge on its own.
6. We do not believe in the concept of "accidental discharges". There are no accidental discharges only negligent discharges or intentional discharges. We take responsibility for our actions and have learned how to safely handle firearms. Any case you have ever heard of about a gun "going off" was the result of negligence on somebody's part. Our recognition of our responsibility and familiarity with firearms makes us among the safest firearms owners in America.
7. Permit holders do their best to keep our concealed weapons exactly that: concealed. However, there are times with an observant fellow citizen may spot our firearm or the print of our firearm under our clothes. We are very cognizant that concerns about terrorism and crime are in the forefront of the minds of most citizens. We also realize that our society does much to condition our fellow citizens to have sometimes irrational fears about firearms. We would encourage citizens who do happen to spot someone carrying a firearm to use good judgment and clear thinking if they feel to need to take action. Please recognize that it's very uncommon for a criminal to use a holster. However, if you feel the need to report having spotted a firearm we would ask that you please be specific and detailed in your call to the police or in your report to a store manager or private security. Please don't generalize or sensationalize what you observed. Comments like "there's a guy running around in the store with a gun" or even simply "I saw a man with a gun in the store" could possibly cause a misunderstanding as to the true nature of the incident.
8. The fact that we carry a firearm to any given place does not mean that we believe that place to be inherently unsafe. If we believe a place to be unsafe, most of us would avoid that place all together if possible. However, we recognize that trouble could occur at any place and at any time. Criminals do not observe "gun free zones". If trouble does come, we do not want the only armed persons to be perpetrators. Therefore, we don't usually make a determination about whether or not to carry at any given time based on "how safe" we think a location is.
9. Concealed weapon permit holders are an asset to the public in times of trouble. The fact that most permit holders have the good judgment to stay out of situations better handled by a 911 call or by simply being a careful and vigilant witness does not mean that we would fail to act in situations where the use of deadly force is appropriate to save lives. Review of high profile public shooting incidents shows that when killers are confronted by armed resistance they tend to either break off the attack and flee or choose to end their own life. Lives are saved when resistance engages a violent criminal. Lives are lost when the criminal can do as he pleases.
10. The fact that criminals know that some of the population may be armed at any given time helps to deter violence against all citizens. Permit holders don't believe that every person should necessarily be armed. We recognize that some people may not be temperamentally suited to carry a firearm or simply may wish not to for personal reasons. However we do encourage you to respect our right to arm ourselves. Even if you choose not to carry a firearm yourself please oppose measures to limit the ability of law abiding citizens to be armed. As mentioned before: criminals do not observe "gun free zones". Help by not supporting laws that require citizens to be unarmed victims.
dakotaracing
New member
XD40scinNC
New member
Show them a news article of a carjacking or armed robbery that went terribly wrong for the victim. Then explain as a father you carry to protect them and yourself from such people.
The schools, have also probably taught your kids that cops are there to protect them. Perhaps if there is a resource officer in your kids school, this is somewhat true, but in the world outside of their school grounds, cops have no duty to protect anyone.
The schools, have also probably taught your kids that cops are there to protect them. Perhaps if there is a resource officer in your kids school, this is somewhat true, but in the world outside of their school grounds, cops have no duty to protect anyone.
Treo
Bullet Proof
The question was telling the kids you carry not telling the kids you own a gun
Treo
Bullet Proof
Please allow me to direct your attention to the following thread
http://www.usacarry.com/forums/conc...19945-if-one-person-knows-everyone-knows.html
jabatam
New member
Not according to the Supreme Court
maine04619
New member
The answer depends on where you live and where you are carrying. My boys know I am always armed one is 4 almost 5 and one is 2.5 they also co own all the firearms as they are all in a trust. Of course up here everybody has firearms and people do not panic at the sight of one ( though the person holding it may give them pause ) unless it is summer and the flatlanders are visiting they do go nuts and call 911 when they see you walk through a parking lot with a firearm in the open. Or heaven forbid you meet someone in a parking lot of say McDonalds to trade or sell one out of you're car. I even had a guy from mass have a fit at a local convenience store because I went into the store and left a rifle and shotgun on a rack in the back window of my truck.
Back to the point here. I myself think they should know.
Back to the point here. I myself think they should know.
XD40scinNC
New member
First you don't "show the violence" and the way you worded it you are insinuating 8 x 10 color glossy photos. A news article about someone killed or seriously injured is not "showing the violence" but educating them to live in a world where this is a very common occurrence, and as an armed citizen I have every intention of not being a statistic or victim.
Really, you are posting on a gun and self-protection thread and you post this much willful ignorance in a single sentence. You sound like an anti-gun'er yet I've seen posts where you state you carry, yet think the police are mandated to protect you. Then why do you carry, obviously not for protection, just draw your phone and dial 911.
The SCOTUS (that would be the Supreme Court of the United States) has ruled that and very clearly stated that "police have no duty to protect citizens"
jcreek
New member
I've heard this several times but have never read the ruling myself. Do you know what the name of the case was for future reference?
Treo
Bullet Proof
Castle Rock V Gonzales is one of them
jcreek
New member
Appreciate it. I'll look into them.
This is a small town. Nearly everyone around here carries a gun, either on their person, or within arms reach in their auto or home.
I don't have any kids living at home, but all 19 of my Grandkids know that I carry a gun... the last one to know found out just a few weeks ago. They see it on my side every time they come visiting. The youngest is six. The Great Grandkids also know I carry... the one's that are walking & talking, anyway. Everyone knows if something happens near us, that they aren't to indicate that we are armed. Most all their parents carry, too.
I am always armed, and everyone who is always around me knows it. All the firemen know it, because most of them are... the cops know it... I don't care who knows it. I either OC or CC all the time. If I'm CCing it is truly concealed.
So far, no problem that I can see.
I don't have any kids living at home, but all 19 of my Grandkids know that I carry a gun... the last one to know found out just a few weeks ago. They see it on my side every time they come visiting. The youngest is six. The Great Grandkids also know I carry... the one's that are walking & talking, anyway. Everyone knows if something happens near us, that they aren't to indicate that we are armed. Most all their parents carry, too.
I am always armed, and everyone who is always around me knows it. All the firemen know it, because most of them are... the cops know it... I don't care who knows it. I either OC or CC all the time. If I'm CCing it is truly concealed.
So far, no problem that I can see.
F
FNWylde
Guest
I have one daughter and I have explained that I will protect her, her mother, and anyone close to us with everything I have if ever necessary. When I shoot, she understands it is to improve skills and generally not recreational-though it is occasionally. That is enough for her-she understands why I carry.
She knew from the first day I began to carry and I also made her very aware of the danger of giving me away if something ever happened. That was one reason I started the thread a few months ago 'Will you be exposed'. In that thread I asked what you guys thought might happen if YOU were carrying and SHTF. Would a family member or close friend accidentally say something in a panic moment and give away that you are armed? I know how I feel about those close to me and my daughter will exercise restraint if ever needed.
She knew from the first day I began to carry and I also made her very aware of the danger of giving me away if something ever happened. That was one reason I started the thread a few months ago 'Will you be exposed'. In that thread I asked what you guys thought might happen if YOU were carrying and SHTF. Would a family member or close friend accidentally say something in a panic moment and give away that you are armed? I know how I feel about those close to me and my daughter will exercise restraint if ever needed.
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