Disclosing Your CCW to Your Children

[MadMex]

[PanzerAce]

well, seems like she got the message. I would have to say this is really similar to the 'when should they start shooting' thread. It really seems to me that you should tell them/explain about it when they are a) old enough to understand what you are actually saying, and b) old enough to know not to let others know (such as rolling up the windows)

[bu-bye]

I do not have my CCW but have had to cover my kids mouth a few times and just smile. My kids have been around guns since they were born. I started showing them the guns when they were 1.5 years old and let them touch them soon after always expressing that they can only touch if daddy or mommy is with them. They know that they can always ask to see the guns and most of the time I will show them. I never wanted guns to be a taboo or unspoken thing in our house. I feel that guns are just as much a part of the family as the car.

I carry while in my home almost everyday. My kids (5 and 3 years old) know this and don't even bat an eye when they see a gun on my hip. Started to open carry at home when my son was 1 just to get him used to seeing guns. There have been a few times like at a kids party or at the store where my kids will say something they should not. Once my son and I where in line at the store. My son did not see that I had taken off my gun before leaving the house. Standing around all these people my son asks "Daddy, do you still have your 1911 gun on your belt?" The looks poeple gave me were as if I just killed a kitten with a rock. My son just had no idea that most people (in cali's bay area) don't have guns or talk about them. His question is very normal around my house but not in public and I'm still trying to teach him when its OK to talk about guns. He just started school this year and I'm just scared to death that he is going to say something to a teacher about my guns. The teacher even has a sign of a gun with a big slash across it in the classroom. Kinded pissed me off at first but as long as she does not talk anti-gun crap to my kids I'll let it go. I just told my sons its a sign saying no guns at school

I'd wait to see if a child could keep something else on the down-low before you tell them about your CCW. If my kids blab something out its not that big of a deal because I'm not packing. For those of you with a CCW its a big deal and can turn ugly if someone calls the cops. 8-9 seems to me to be the right age but every child is different.

[Forever-A-Soldier]

I think every child is different and even within my own family, my boys react differently to guns. Teaching them young is a good thing and I learned the first thing I needed to teach my son was "don't touch the fanny pack." Hot out where I live, so a fanny pack ccw is the way to go. Was in Walmart ears back and my (at the time) 3-year old son decided to pull the chord on my Galco fanny pack which promptly unzipped the pouch about 1/2 way showing everyone the nice Glock 19 in "the bag." Second was explaining the hostility towards guns by other people; i.e. teachers, kids, other parents. Guns are a "no-no" topic around others unless DAD starts the conversation. Third is a safe is a must. Though my youngest (age 5) knows the rules, but he's the free-spirited one in the family. Well he got into an argument with my oldest who is a teenager now and my 5 year old says, "I'm going to get a gun and shoot you." My teenager, knowing that his younger brother can't do that says, "go ahead" at which my 5 year old tromps to the gun safe and immediately starts pulling on the large handle of the safe. My wife spots him, having not heard the arguement and promptly scolds him and reminds him of "Daddy's Rules" about guns and "no you can't shoot your brother because you are mad at him." When my wife told me about this I told her she better lock up our car keys too before he decides to take the car for a drive for ice cream or something!! She was not amused.

My oldest two, and obviously more mature, would never touch the guns but even with my teachings sometimes young minds make bad decisions so you have to really watch out. If you have kids or ever have kids at your house, a safe or gun lock is a must.

F.A.S. Out

[booknut]

I agree that it might be nice to wait until your kid can 'keep a secret', so to speak.
Mine is now 12 and I've carried for several years.
I also carry a red/blue gun around the house for practice or getting familiar with a new holster.
My wife and kid know I do this and never say anything about it.

I still try to re-direct their hugs so they don't feel the gun, but I don't get too wierd about it.

btw, when practicing drawing, I make sure I'm in a part of the house where I have control over who/what is in front of me and to my sides.

My kid knows about gun safety since I go over the rules with her every now-and-then.

I recently took all my handguns out and laid them on the couch.
I was taking new digital photos of them for insurance/future internet sales purposes.
My kid was pretty surprised at how many handguns I had!
I'm just glad she didn't go blabb to her mother!

I believe that as long as you keep the idea that guns are just as normal as other things in life, and they come with their own safety rules, you'll be fine.

As for keeping the kid quiet in public (or at home with visitors), you might talk about how we 'hide' many things from other people.
We keep our money out of sight so we don't get robbed, we only give out our phone number/address to people we want to have those, and we don't wear our underwear out in plain view of other people...we don't, don't we? even Madonna quit doing that.

So, we keep any info about our guns, to ourselves or those we want to know.

I've instructed my daughter not to talk about my guns at her school, even if it's with a teacher. She knows they need to talk with me if it ever comes up.

[Forever-A-Soldier]

As for keeping the kid quiet in public (or at home with visitors), you might talk about how we 'hide' many things from other people.
We keep our money out of sight so we don't get robbed, we only give out our phone number/address to people we want to have those, and we don't wear our underwear out in plain view of other people...we don't, don't we? even Madonna quit doing that.

So, we keep any info about our guns, to ourselves or those we want to know.

I've instructed my daughter not to talk about my guns at her school, even if it's with a teacher. She knows they need to talk with me if it ever comes up.

That's great BOOKNUT! I like that and will probably use that with my kids too. Probably will leave out the Madonna part though.

F.A.S. Out