National ASK Day

Posted by Susan Carney Jun 15, 2007

According to the ASK website, “Over 40% of homes with children have a gun, and many of those guns are left unlocked or loaded.” (ASK website, 2007.) For those of us who don’t have guns in our home, those are sobering statistics. It’s easy to assume that our neighbors, friends, and families think as we do, and would never consider having a gun in the home. But you would probably be surprised to find out that people you see and talk to every day keep guns in their homes.

Parents ask many questions when our kids or teens are at someone else’s home. We ask about supervision, drugs and alcohol, food allergies, tobacco use, and other safety issues. That’s part of the job. But many parents neglect to ask about the presence of weapons simply because many assume, incorrectly, that a family with children would not have a gun.

Please help spread the word about this important question to your family members, neighbors, and the parents of the children and teens in your care. Kids are naturally curious, and often know more about the location and operation of weapons than adults realize. If there are guns where your children play, make sure they are locked and unloaded. Better still; provide a safer location for your children and their friends.

For more information and literature about this initiative, please visit the ASK website.