Even if you have children, there are several options to keep a gun locked up at night, but still give you quick/easy access.
Here's one for a shot/long gun that I plan on picking up soon:
http://www.shotlock.com/
For handguns, there's about 342 different companies who make quick access handgun safes. I wouldn't trust most of these to long term storage, but for quick access at night, and keeping the kids from accessing while you're asleep, they work well.
As for me, my gun is on my hip from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep. Some call me paranoid, I call it smart. The last place I want a gun when an intruder breaks in is in my safe in another room. The only exceptions to it coming off are when I take a shower, but even then, it's in the bathroom within easy reach.
