when to let kids in the safe?

[nosbusa]

so im trying to figure something out. at what age should i let my oldest daughter have access to the safe? she is almost 12 now. she stays home and watches her sister who is 8. they are home alone often. is it wise to grant her the code for the safe? and if so, at what age? she is someone i dont really have to look over when she is handling a firearm, over the last 2 years i have taught her everything she should know. and she has retained all the info. i have never had to correct her on safety after the first month of her handling a firearm. my youngest daughter is the same way. she is always very careful with pointing her guns in a safe direction. so safety aside, what do you all think about her having the combo to the safe?


they also are not curious about guns. she has had every opportunity to hold, shoot, and clean her gun. so i doubt she would even go into the safe unless it was an emergency and she needed her gun. hell i got both my girls sig mosquitos for christmas. they sat on the counter for 3 days before i was ready to put them into my new safe. and the whole time, my girls were asking me to put them away. not for safety reasons, but because they wanted their guns to be safe. so, what are everyones thoughts on access to the safe?

[Rickrock1]

I never allowed my kids in safe unless in the event of an emergency.

[blkside]

If you are asking about access in general I don't allow anyone to have access...

If you are asking to give the code to the kids in case of an emergency, I think you are looking more at maturity than age. Also what type of emergency would they need access to firearms. You want your kids facing an armed intruder.

Its up to you, you know your kids but no one gets access but me.

[surplus-addict]

I'd say give it to her, if you see her being reasonably mature with her firearms information AND in the other parts of her life.

I've always known where dad kept his gun, per his information. I was taught from an early age how to shoot a firearm, how serious they are, and the safety rules.
I was never curious, and always taken shooting on a semi-regular basis.

I was never kept away from them, and I was never curious: it was simply another tool, not some magical thing kept in a locked box I should try to get into.

I was also taught that if I was home alone or watching my siblings and someone broke in, I was to grab the gun and go to the closet. If anybody opened the door, empty the magazine into them.

And this also might sound weird, but... take her hunting. When you've taken a life, it brings forth a real sense of seriousness, and maturity.
I shot a squirrel that was eating cherries off of my grandfathers cherry tree.
Ever since then, I've never ever EVER thought lightly about firearms.

It's a sobering event, and one that's for the better, if you ask me.

[milotrain]

I still don't know the combination to my father's safe. I know where to find it in the case that I need it but I've never needed to know and will not search it out unless he is unavailable for whatever reason. I have my own safe in my own house and no one else knows how to get in it.

[rkt88edmo]

As long as they are potty trained and the safe has air holes I don't think it is a big deal.

[50BMGBOB]

To many people are worried about kids having access to guns now days. I know my kids, my oldest has been able to access my safe sense he was about 14. I have been shooting with him sense he was 4. For how many years, decades and centuries have guns been kept in homes without safes? I keep my guns in safes not to protect them from my kids but to protect them from thieves.

[nosbusa]

I never allowed my kids in safe unless in the event of an emergency.

and this is where i am at. if there was an emergency,she would need access to the safe. but saying you wouldnt let them in unless there was an emergency, does that mean they already have access and you just tell them they are not allowed to open it?

If you are asking about access in general I don't allow anyone to have access...

If you are asking to give the code to the kids in case of an emergency, I think you are looking more at maturity than age. Also what type of emergency would they need access to firearms. You want your kids facing an armed intruder.

Its up to you, you know your kids but no one gets access but me.

i would much rather her have access to a means of protection if there were ever an issue to come up. they do stay home alone. i hope this never happens, but you never know.

I'd say give it to her, if you see her being reasonably mature with her firearms information AND in the other parts of her life.

I've always known where dad kept his gun, per his information. I was taught from an early age how to shoot a firearm, how serious they are, and the safety rules.
I was never curious, and always taken shooting on a semi-regular basis.

I was never kept away from them, and I was never curious: it was simply another tool, not some magical thing kept in a locked box I should try to get into.

I was also taught that if I was home alone or watching my siblings and someone broke in, I was to grab the gun and go to the closet. If anybody opened the door, empty the magazine into them.

And this also might sound weird, but... take her hunting. When you've taken a life, it brings forth a real sense of seriousness, and maturity.
I shot a squirrel that was eating cherries off of my grandfathers cherry tree.
Ever since then, I've never ever EVER thought lightly about firearms.

It's a sobering event, and one that's for the better, if you ask me.

she knows guns very well. she is also not one to cause trouble. she is more mature than some adults i know. but she is still a kid. however your thoughts are very similiar to mine

[drifts1]

None of my kids have ever had access to my safe and never will. However my HD firearms are not kept in my safe and they have always known where those are. Its all about knowing your kids and their maturity. You are responsible for whatever happens.

[Jason95357]

I never allowed my kids in safe unless in the event of an emergency.

So your kids have access, but are not allowed, right? At what age did you give them access?

My 15 year old daughter has all our combo codes, but boys (13, 15) have none.

Similiar rules as you: unless Mom or I instruct her to get something or put it away, all access to safe/lock boxes is forbidden except an emergency.

I love my boys, but they make DUMB choices. Plus they are boys, and if someone kidnapped them, we'd have them returned within the hour *chuckle*

But all the kids can go shooting anytime they want. Mom or I will take them to the range once a week if they want (they get to count it as PE credit for school).

[UnWired]

Big question is... when to let em back out of the safe?

Wait till 18? or think the school would notice?

[johnthomas]

[Stewdabaker23]

Never ever. Too much of a risk because you just never know.

[Rule .308]

Never, period. Have 3 grown children and none of them do. I have access to my father's safe, who lives in another state, because I am executor of their estate and that info is kept in my safe.

[G-forceJunkie]

If the issue is giving them access to HD guns, or their guns, perhaps get another safe just for those weapons. Even the greatest kids do dumb stuff, get into drugs and need to steal for money, talked or conned into showing "their" weapons to so called friends who have bad intentions, etc. Why expose all your weapons to that.