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http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropo ... 46730.html
Secure your firearms!

10 is old enough to know gun safety, how to swim, and not to drink bleach.

Shoot Straight wrote:10 is old enough to know gun safety, how to swim, and not to drink bleach.

If the gun was secure we wouldn't have to worry about if he knew proper gun safety or not.

Deputies said investigators believe Ayden had been playing with a pistol that was kept in the home and that he dropped the gun, which then discharged.

If parents teach their child to swim, they don't have to rely on others to secure the pool at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child gun safety, they don't have to rely on others to secure the guns at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child not to drink bleach, et cetera, they don't have to rely on others to secure the household chemicals at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child to look both ways before crossing the street...

Those seem like smart things for parents to teach their children.

Shoot Straight wrote:If parents teach their child to swim, they don't have to rely on others to secure the pool at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child gun safety, they don't have to rely on others to secure the guns at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child not to drink bleach, et cetera, they don't have to rely on others to secure the household chemicals at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child to look both ways before crossing the street...

Those seem like smart things for parents to teach their children.

The issue is that children's brains are incapable of understanding and processing these issues for a significant period of time, which is different based on how abstract the issue, his personal experiences, and individual development. Other issues that come into play include learning disabilities, genetic conditions which affect specific brain processes such as applying specific information to generalized situations, and then the number of simultaneous issues a child needs to work through (including peer pressure, hormones, long term reasoning, etc) which all play a part in the decision making process. And when all that is perfect, kids still do crazy and unpredictable things.

Far better to rely on a responsible adult owner to take reasonable precautions which are backed up by parental training and a child's actions then to rely on a child's actions backed up by parental training with a complete abdication of guidance or action on the part of the responsible adult owner who is in the best position to understand the consequences and the reasonable safety measures.

Shoot Straight wrote:If parents teach their child to swim, they don't have to rely on others to secure the pool at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child gun safety, they don't have to rely on others to secure the guns at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child not to drink bleach, et cetera, they don't have to rely on others to secure the household chemicals at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child to look both ways before crossing the street...

Those seem like smart things for parents to teach their children.

Until more is known, we may need to hold judgment on what the parent(s) had or hadn't taught the boy about guns. They were apparently visiting the home of someone else. If the boy is from a home where there are no firearms, then his being cautioned about them may have been little to none. In this case I wouldn't necessarily blame the parent(s). If they have no firearms in their home and maybe have never even been exposed to firearms themselves, they may not really thought aboutthe need to warn him other than maybe a statement of 'Never play with a gun.' And, if the boy hadn't been exposed to guns, he may not have realized it was a real gun until he picked it up. Additionally, if the incident happened as described and the gun DID go off when he dropped it, then the firearm malfunctioned.

So, IF this is all factual, then fault lies totally with the person who failed to secure the firearm and not the boys parent(s) IMO.

Sad!

Parents should teach gun safety regardless of whether they have guns at home or not. You never know when or where a child may be exposed. We didn't have a pool but they taught me to swim.

Although I was taught better I fired a pellet pistol in to the ceiling on our kitchen while my dad was on the phone. Scared both of us. I did everything I was told (point in a safe direction away from people) except to leave it alone.

Shoot Straight wrote:If parents teach their child to swim, they don't have to rely on others to secure the pool at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child gun safety, they don't have to rely on others to secure the guns at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child not to drink bleach, et cetera, they don't have to rely on others to secure the household chemicals at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child to look both ways before crossing the street...

Those seem like smart things for parents to teach their children.

This is just a bad take.

texanron wrote:

Shoot Straight wrote:If parents teach their child to swim, they don't have to rely on others to secure the pool at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child gun safety, they don't have to rely on others to secure the guns at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child not to drink bleach, et cetera, they don't have to rely on others to secure the household chemicals at every house their child visits.

If parents teach their child to look both ways before crossing the street...

Those seem like smart things for parents to teach their children.

This is just a bad take.

People, children and well as adults, need to be taught and reminded of the many dangers encountered in every day life.

Hoi Polloi wrote:
Far better to rely on a responsible adult owner to take reasonable precautions which are backed up by parental training and a child's actions then to rely on a child's actions backed up by parental training with a complete abdication of guidance or action on the part of the responsible adult owner who is in the best position to understand the consequences and the reasonable safety measures.

I think...

Jasonw560 wrote:

Hoi Polloi wrote:
Far better to rely on a responsible adult owner to take reasonable precautions which are backed up by parental training and a child's actions then to rely on a child's actions backed up by parental training with a complete abdication of guidance or action on the part of the responsible adult owner who is in the best position to understand the consequences and the reasonable safety measures.

I think...

I think...