National Ask Day

This is a touchy subject. We live rather rural so we have guns in the house all the time. Now we keep them locked in the gun safe when not being used. My 5 year old has already learned how to disassemble and reassemble his daddy's black powder pistol (he never handles it when its loaded). I think having guns around is alright as long as the parents make it a point to educate their kids and take away the mystery surounding them, so their curiosity is quenched.

Reply

Please visit www.AskingSavesKids.com for more information about National ASK Day and to find out how you can bring ASK to your community. Also, feel free to visit www.paxusa.org to learn more about PAX/Real Solutions to Gun Violence.

Reply

This is such a simple and life saving strategy. This is not about Gun Control it's about Gun Safety. Knowing the specifics about an environment your child spends time in is essential to their safety & maybe even their lives. Parents make an informed decision about where your child spends time, they are absolutely worth the extra effort. For a very personal story about love, loss, and guns please check out www.seanneswish.

Stay Safe

Reply

I am a spokesperson for PAX/Real Solutions to Gun Violence. Why? Because 8 years ago, on Christmas Eve, 1997 our 12 year old son, Brian was shot and killed while playing at a friends house. This was a totally preventable tragedy. Brian was on the phone with his sister who had called for him to come home to get ready for our traditional Christmas Eve celebration always held at our home with friends and family. While Brian was on the phone, his friend decided to show him the gun he had recently found in his Mom's room. He thought he had emptied the gun of all the bullets as he pulled the trigger 3 times listening to the click, click, click. On the third click, that gun went off and shot our son in the neck. Brian's last words to his friend were "I can't believe you shot me" as he tried to run from the house to get home. He only made it to the living room where he collapsed. Three hours later, after surgery was attempted, we were told that there was nothing more they could do and that we could be with him until he died. Asking about guns was not a question we had ever thought about. I am sure that if we had thought to ask, Brian would still be with us. The ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Campaign is a great tool in protecting our children. How many times have you asked if there will be proper supervision at a home with a swimming pool? When your child was a toddler, did you make sure the cabinets under the sink with all the chemicals were locked and not accessible. Would it be so terrible if you just asked if there is a gun in the home and how is it stored? Not to be confrontational, but to protect your child from the terrible tragedy that took our son's life. If you are too embarrassed to ask or feel that this is too "hot" an issue to talk about, I ask you to close your eyes and imagine life without your child.

Reply

If you would like more information or to contact me in regards to the above story, please e-mail me at rememberingbrian@aol.com
Our children are our future... let's protect them.

Reply

It is a nice post Heather. Few years, ago I watched a documentry "Bowling for Columbine" on tv. Moore, showed how serious the issue has become. A lot of people die because of gun violence. I think people should mind that gun is for killing and by killing a person another person can never be safe.

Reply

June 4th 1998 I wish I would have known to ASK! My three year old might still be alive. When interviewing sitters I knew to ask about pets, safety measures, and to check to make sure there were covers for the electrical outlets at my sitter’s home, but I never thought to ASK about a gun. We live in MO which is a big hunting state. You tend to assume everyone knows the dangers and if they own a gun they know how to take of care of them. Apparently the 11 year that accidentally shot my son was told not to play with guns. He was obviously around them as when he found a gun in the closet he assembled it and loaded it. He did not count on my three year old walking into the room startling him. He shot my 3 year old Markie in the chest and he died. My 5 year old daughter witnessed the whole incident and actually called 911.

How many times do kids do something that you know they know better? As parents it is our responsibility to make sure our kids are protected from themselves around guns.

If I would have known to ASK I might still have my baby, I wouldn't have a child that has flashbacks of the horrific scene to this day and the little boy that shot him might have been able to join the marines which were his dream. He couldn't because of this incident.
It is easier to ASK now if there is a gun in the house, than to ASK a parent latter why didn't you tell me you had a gun or why didn't you have the gun properly stored?

Reply

View the video on gun safety. These are true stories It could happen to you. Click on movies

Reply