Firearms
Whether there are guns in your home and how they are stored, and whether you ask about guns in other homes before playdates.
How do we handle guns at home and in homes our child visits?
In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: None in the home; Stored locked, unloaded, ammunition separate; Accessible for defense; ask other families before playdates or not. Evidence: well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. Best settled: during pregnancy.
- Evidence
- Well established
- Best settled
- During pregnancy
- Part of
- Raising the child
Firearms: what are the options?
Parents usually land on one of these 3 approaches.
1. None in the home
There are no guns in your home.
2. Stored locked, unloaded, ammunition separate
Guns are kept locked and unloaded, with ammunition stored elsewhere.
3. Accessible for defense; ask other families before playdates or not
A gun is kept within reach for protection; you also decide whether to ask other families about guns before a visit.
Firearms: what does the evidence say?
Well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. (Settled on storage)
AAP: the safest home has no firearms; if present, locked and unloaded; CPS agrees
Sources
What else is worth knowing?
A gun in the home raises the risk of accidental injury and suicide, and safe storage lowers it. Pediatric guidance is that the safest home has no gun and that any gun should be locked, unloaded and stored apart from ammunition. Asking about guns in homes your child visits is part of the same decision.
Questions to ask each other
- What are our views on guns in the home?
- What would we do if a friend's family has one?
- How would we ask about guns before a playdate?
More in Safety, risk and independence
First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.