There were over 4,173 kids under fifteen that were accidentally killed by guns from 1979 to 1994 (Kelso 29). This is a serious problem that has been blamed on guns, but guns are not the problem. We need to instruct children on the laws of firearm safety, and how to properly shoot a gun. Giving a child these skills will reduce accidental firearm deaths and will prevent children from playing with live firearms. Teaching children about firearm safety will drop the number of accidental deaths, help them learn how to safely shoot a gun, get children outside and teach them a lifelong skill. I believe that every child should be taught about firearm safety to promote safety skills and to decrease deaths.

Gun deaths are the 6th leading cause of death for 5 to 9 year olds (Kelso 30). The majority of these deaths are caused accidentally. Children that don’t know the power of a firearm often treat it as a toy causing accidental deaths. Whether you like it or not guns are a part of America’s culture, and just like teaching a child to look both ways before crossing the street we must take precautions against gun play. By teaching children what to do when finding a firearm, and about the power that a gun has, we defuse situations that could be lethal and save innocent lives. Prevention techniques that have been aimed at parents have not worked (Kelso 31). This means that we need to give kids the skills to safely stop a tragic event from happening. Ever since I was little I was taught how to act around a gun and safely operate a firearm. The lessons my dad taught me at the range have given me the knowledge I need to know, to be safe around guns. Simple instructions like, stop or don’t touch that don’t work (Kelso 31). This means we need to go a step above these simple defenses to save lives. We need to create programs to help kids be safe around guns.

The Coastal Georgia Gun Club offers a free program designed to teach 7 to 17 year olds how to shoot guns (Starr 1). The class teaches children how to correctly fire .22 caliber guns and also shotguns. 30 children attend the class and are given a safety lecture before they shoot. Each child is paired with a trained volunteer, who shows them how to remain safe. Showing children these skills makes them responsible around guns (Starr 1).  Teaching children how to safely operate guns, I believe is the next step in lowering accidental deaths. Holding a real gun shows you a reality that video games don’t. Knowing how to load and unload a gun will stop children from playing with loaded guns. Seeing and hearing a gun fire gives children an understanding of how much power a gun has. This is why I think training children on safety lessons is a step in the right direction and will give children an opportunity to have fun as well.

The issue of accidental firearm deaths is a growing problem and no one will solve it for us. Look into a program at your local range or get one started yourself. Guns are a part of America and giving yourself the skills to deal with them is a massive way of stopping child gunplay. Children dying for a reason that could be easily be solved with a few lessons is not right. So educate yourself on how to deal with firearms. It doesn't matter if you plan to hunt or not, having the knowledge to save lives is an necessity. These may be skills you think you will never use, but it is always better to stay safe, than to be sorry.

Works Cited
Kelso, Pamela D. Miltenberger, et al. "Teaching Skills to Second and Third Grade Children to Prevent   Gun Play: A Comparison of Procedures." Education & Treatment of Children 1 Aug. 2007: 29-48. Print.
Starr, Mary. "Gun Club Offers Safety Lesson to Youth." Brunswick News 1 Feb. 2011. Print.