When a Child Finds a Firearm: Teaching Youth What to Do

 

As a firearms instructor with more than 28 years of experience, I have committed myself to something bigger than simply teaching people how to shoot.

I teach safety, responsibility, and defense.

That commitment includes teaching adults, families, and youth what to do when they encounter situations involving firearms.

One of the areas I believe deserves far more attention is youth firearm safety.

We can tell children, “Never touch a firearm.”

We should tell them that.

But we also need to be realistic.

Children are curious. Children experience peer pressure. Children sometimes make decisions they know they shouldn't make. And as adults, we cannot assume that every child will listen to us 100% of the time.

So what happens if a child encounters a firearm unexpectedly?

Maybe it's at a friend's house.

Maybe someone says, “Come look at my dad's collection.”

Maybe another child finds a firearm and says, “It's not loaded.”

Maybe a firearm has been left somewhere it should never have been.

Or maybe a child simply finds one and doesn't know what to do.

That's where education matters.

My Children Were Taught About Firearms

I want to share something personal because it is part of why I believe so strongly in this subject.

When both of my children were eight years old, I taught them how to use the firearms I had in my home.

But there is something very important about that statement.

I didn't thrust firearms upon them.

They expressed an interest.

That interest gave me an opportunity to sit down with them, teach them the seriousness of firearms, establish safety rules, and provide supervised, age-appropriate education.

For my family, I believed that education was safer than pretending firearms didn't exist.

And that's an important conversation for parents to have.

Don't Confuse “Keeping Them Safe” With “Keeping Them Ignorant”

Some parents believe the safest approach is simply to hide firearms from their children and never talk about them.

I understand the thinking.

But I also believe we need to recognize something:

Our children are often smarter and more observant than we give them credit for.

They may already know that there is something inside Mom's or Dad's lockbox.

They may know that Dad has a firearm.

They may know that Mom carries one.

They may have seen you handling it.

They may have heard conversations about it.

And if they don't understand what it is or why it is there, curiosity can fill in the blanks.

That's why I believe responsible parents should consider education in addition to secure storage.

Secure storage is essential.

But education is another layer of protection.

Education Doesn't Mean Giving a Child Unrestricted Access

This is an extremely important distinction.

Teaching a child about firearms does not mean allowing unrestricted access to firearms.

It does not mean leaving firearms where children can access them.

It does not mean allowing children to handle firearms without appropriate adult supervision.

And it certainly doesn't mean allowing children to experiment with firearms because “they've been taught.”

Education and access are two completely different things.

A responsible parent can teach a child about firearm safety while still maintaining appropriate control and secure storage.

Interest Matters

In my own family, I waited until my children expressed an interest.

That matters to me.

I wasn't trying to make them firearms enthusiasts.

I wasn't trying to make them shooters.

I wasn't trying to put a firearm in their hands simply because I owned one.

I wanted them to understand what firearms were, why they were serious, and what responsible behavior around them looked like.

When they showed interest, I had the opportunity to teach them.

Every family is different.

Every child is different.

Parents have to consider maturity, judgment, emotional readiness, and the child's ability to understand and consistently follow safety rules.

There is no magic age that makes every child ready.

Eight was the age that worked for my children and my family's circumstances.

That doesn't mean eight is the right age for every child.

The Safety Rules Come First

Whether we're talking about an adult or a child receiving supervised firearm education, the fundamentals don't change.

Always treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

Keep your finger off the trigger until you're appropriately prepared to fire.

Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction.

Know what is beyond your intended target.

These principles need to become habits.

And those habits are valuable even when a child encounters a firearm unexpectedly.

What If They Find a Firearm They Were NOT Supposed to Touch?

This is where our youth safety program comes back into the picture.

A child who has received supervised firearm education should still understand:

A firearm found unattended is not an invitation to handle it.

The preferred response is:

STOP.

DON'T TOUCH IT.

BACK AWAY.

KEEP OTHER CHILDREN AWAY.

GET A RESPONSIBLE ADULT.

And if a responsible adult cannot be reached and the circumstances warrant it:

CALL 9-1-1.

Knowing about firearms does not mean a child should assume responsibility for an unattended firearm.

There is a huge difference between supervised education and unauthorized access.

But We Have to Be Realistic

We're not naive enough to think every child will follow instructions 100% of the time.

A child may touch a firearm.

A friend may hand one to them.

They may find one and pick it up before they realize what they're doing.

That's why I want our youth to know the fundamental safety rules before they're ever in that situation.

If they have already touched a firearm:

Treat it as loaded.

Keep your finger off the trigger.

Keep it pointed in a safe direction.

Stop manipulating it.

Get an adult.

The goal isn't to turn children into firearm handlers.

The goal is to make sure that curiosity, peer pressure, or a momentary mistake doesn't turn into a tragedy.

Parents, We Have Responsibilities Too

This entire conversation starts with us.

If we own firearms, we have a responsibility to secure them properly.

We have a responsibility to continue our own training.

We have a responsibility to understand the laws where we live.

We have a responsibility to teach our children age-appropriate safety.

And we have a responsibility to recognize that one safety class is not the end of our education.

Training should be maintained.

Skills should be practiced.

Knowledge should be refreshed.

And our children should see us treating firearms with the seriousness they deserve.

Don't Hide the Conversation

I'm not saying every parent should hand their eight-year-old a firearm.

I'm saying something much simpler:

Don't assume that hiding the firearm means your child doesn't know it exists.

Children observe.

They listen.

They ask questions.

And sometimes the better approach is to answer those questions honestly and age-appropriately rather than allowing curiosity to develop in secret.

Secure your firearms.

Talk to your children.

Teach them the rules.

Set boundaries.

Supervise appropriately.

And make sure they understand that firearms are never toys.

We Don't Teach Fear. We Teach Respect.

I don't want children to be terrified of firearms.

I want them to respect what firearms are capable of.

I want them to understand that firearms are serious tools.

I want them to know that curiosity is not a reason to touch one.

I want them to have the confidence to walk away when they encounter one unexpectedly.

And I want them to understand that if another child tries to convince them to touch a firearm, they have permission to say no.

Because responsible firearm education isn't about creating fearless children.

It's about creating informed, responsible children who know how to make safer decisions.

The Message We Want Every Child to Remember

If you encounter a firearm unexpectedly:

STOP.

Don't touch it.

BACK AWAY.

Create distance.

KEEP OTHER CHILDREN AWAY.

Don't allow curiosity or peer pressure to make the situation worse.

TELL A RESPONSIBLE ADULT.

Get help.

CALL 9-1-1 IF NECESSARY.

And if you've already touched the firearm:

Treat it as loaded.

Keep your finger off the trigger.

Keep it pointed in a safe direction.

Stop manipulating it and get help.

After more than 28 years in firearms instruction, I believe some of the most important firearms training we can provide may be training that prevents a child from ever touching a firearm in the first place.

But I also believe we have to prepare for reality.

Education, secure storage, supervision, and continued adult training all have a place in responsible firearm ownership.

Our children deserve to understand firearms.

They deserve to understand the dangers.

They deserve to know what to do when something goes wrong.

And they deserve parents who take their own responsibility for firearm safety seriously.

Because sometimes the most successful defensive action isn't pulling a trigger.

Sometimes it's knowing when not to touch the firearm, walking away, and getting help.

Safety through education.