Children, visits and one question

The 15 minutes

1. 2 min Say why: "Children are curious, and many unintentional shootings of children happen in someone else's home. Two things help: storage everywhere they play, and a question before they go."
2. 6 min Read the source lines below aloud. Name who said each one.
3. 4 min Talk through the questions. There are no wrong answers here.
4. 3 min Agree one change for this home, and who will make it by when.

Read aloud

• "About one-third of homes with kids have guns, many left unlocked or loaded." (AAP)
• "And research shows that even toddlers are strong enough to pull the trigger." (AAP)
• "More than a third of all unintentional shootings of children take place in the homes of their friends, neighbors or relatives." (AAP)
• "Just as you'd ask about pets, allergies, supervision and other safety issues before your child visits another home, add one more important question: "Is there an unlocked gun in your house?"" (AAP)
• "If there is, you can reconsider allowing your child to play there or talk with them about keeping the guns unloaded and locked." (AAP)
• "... a reminder that if they find an unattended firearm in their home or a neighbor's to not touch it, and tell an adult." (Project ChildSafe (NSSF))
• "Just talking to your child about the dangers of firearms is not enough to keep them safe." (AAP)

Talk it through

• Is this true in our home today? "Before a child visits another home, an adult asks: "Is there an unlocked gun in your house?" (Our Ask card makes it easy.)"
• Is this true in our home today? "Every child in the home knows: if you find a gun, do not touch it, leave it, and tell an adult."
• Is this true in our home today? "The adults know that teaching children is not a substitute for locked storage."
• What would make it hard to keep this up, and what would make it easy?

Questions and answer key

1. Which question does the AAP suggest adding to your playdate checklist?
   Answer: "Is there an unlocked gun in your house?"
2. The AAP says that just talking to your child about the dangers of firearms is...
   Answer: not enough to keep them safe
3. The Project ChildSafe pledge reminds young people that if they find an unattended firearm they should...
   Answer: not touch it, and tell an adult
4. Where do more than a third of all unintentional shootings of children take place, according to the AAP?
   Answer: In the homes of their friends, neighbors or relatives
5. About what share of homes with kids have guns, according to the AAP?
   Answer: About one-third
6. The answer is "Yes, there is an unlocked gun." What does the AAP say you can do?
   Answer: Reconsider allowing your child to play there, or talk with them about keeping the guns unloaded and locked