Conversation with your kids.

[Boogershooter]

How many of you have actually sat down with your kids and discussed the situation of having a burglar in the house or in the yard? Do they have a hiding spot picked out and know not to move until they are told it's ok from mom or dad? I'm interested in what you have planned or discussed with your family as it might help me or others on this forum.

[kilimanjaro]

The other conversation to have is about not sneaking in the house in the middle of the night, you could get shot. Knock on the door and a parent will let you in.

If home alone, my conversation is about opening the window and getting through it, go to the neighbors house. Get out of the house.

If parents are home, shut your door and wait. Be ready to flee. We'll give you instructions.

Burglars in the yard, turn on all lights and call the cops. Be ready to flee.

The thing is, it's like the drunken teenager pounding on the door of the wrong house at 2AM. You don't know it's a drunk kid, and you don't know whether he just wants to crash on a couch or kill and rape. Same with 'burglars', you don't know if they are burglars or kidnappers, crazed killers, or what. You have to assume the worst and act accordingly. When you call them 'burglars', you are ascribing a more benign intent to their behavior once inside your house than may be warranted.

I put a deadbolt lock on every bedroom door in the house. Yeah, the kids can lock me out and make me get the key on cleaning day, but they can also gain time to flee if necessary. I also put sturdy doors, not cheap hollow core crap, on each bedroom entry and the hall bath entry. The closets and such are lesser grade, but matching style. That and deadbolts were about $1200.

[Boogershooter]

I like your ideas. I've also discussed not to hide from a fire. We keep objects close to their windows so they can break them if needed. My oldest keeps a gun in his bedroom but not the others. For those of you thinking about criticising me now, dont. I would challenge you to a safety duel with him and you will lose. He's been the safety officer on his 4-h shooting team for 4 years now and works at the local gun range part time. His gun goes in the safe when he has company over.

[9x45]

I have all the same stuff Kili does, plus a double security front door, like going thru a closet, motion sensors, cameras, and two low technology organic sensors (dogs). And we have a code word for when all hell is going to break loose. We actually had our camp invaded by 2 escaped prisoners years ago, one was armed with a knife, the other with a short ax.

So Booger, if you think your kid is a pretty good shooter, get over you nearest USPSA or IDPA match and see what how well he does.

[kilimanjaro]

Including your oldest in the family defense plan is a good idea. Force multiplication is always beneficial.

Low technology organic analog sensors (dogs), are another good idea.

[Moonglum]

The other conversation to have is about not sneaking in the house in the middle of the night, you could get shot. Knock on the door and a parent will let you in.

Careful dude, apparently posting such sentiments on a public forum shows intent to blast anyone you find in your home without any attempt at identifying em.

[Moonglum]

When our kids were at home we had age appropriate conversations with both of them.



The youngest was told to only open the door for my wife or my self. The oldest was told that her (female) friends were welcome at any time but please let us know they're here, if for no other reason than to let me know I need to put on a robe if I need to go let the dogs out.



I also had enough sense not to trust to perfect adherence and my home was not a free fire zone

[Boogershooter]

I have a yard full of go green sensors. But honestly they are always barking at something so sometimes I don't get up. I have a black lab in the house also. As far as my oldest son he shoots the black death events and 4-h events. Believe me when I say I'm not bragging but he doesn't care to compete anymore against kids. He will be doing 3 gun soon. He likes being a coach more than a shooter because the youth events aren't a challenge to him. He challenges hisself at home. I fear that if a threat ever presents itsself in my home he will try to confront the threat because he is big brother.

[9x45]

Booger, I've never heard of anything called a black death match, must be some kind of local thing, but I very strongly advice your kid do several USPSA matches before jumping into 3 gun. Maybe you are referring to something else?

This is USPSA, your'e not standing still...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KLhlWTZZSE

This was from the 2014 3 Gun Nationals, you barely have to time to catch your breath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANUPsMo0_Wc

[Boogershooter]

Yes sir you are correct it is a big thing locally. I have my own 3 gun coarse set up and it's different than the uspca. Hope I said that correctly. On my coarse you will only have one bullet in your magazine for each target. That's for rifle, pistol, and shotgun. Safety first. Each second you finish behind the fastest time is one point subtracted from your score. Targets missed are just missed opportunity for a higher score. No reloads and no guns laid down with a round in the chamber. We took years designing this coarse so it simulates home defense, yard or property defense, and strong hand weak hand shooting. Everything can be changed around for a complete new course in about 30 minutes with good help. By the time he's 15 he will have the skillset to move into whatever he wants. But we'very gotten way off topic of what this thread is truly about. That is sharing our home defense strategy with our kids so that myself or any other person reading this can learn and maybe save a kids life.

[Mannlicher]

My kids are 46, and 40 years old now, but yeah, we had 'that conversation' when they were young. I was a single dad for 14 years, and family security was a big issue for us.

[Boogershooter]

Tuesday will consist of a trip to Lowes and the kids doors will be heavier duty with locks. I of course will have a key to open from the outside. That is one good idea so far. Any more?

[kilimanjaro]

If you can key them the same, even better.

Extra keys are goodness and light.

[Boogershooter]

Good idea. I understand there alot of people on here don't have kids at home and some people don't have any kids at all but I'm shocked at the low number of posts for this thread. Yet a thread about a kid getting killed in someone's home brings out alot of ( what I would have dones).

[Branko]

I don't like to criticize people for their choices, but this has to be said, it's very irresponsible shooting what you can't see. That is just inviting a tragedy.

Going to teach all of the kids how to shoot when they're old enough and teaching them essentials of firearms safety, but definitely not going to give them the passcodes to the gun safe. When they're old enough to buy their own, they'll get an engraved one from dad as a gift, but giving teenagers free access to guns is just inviting trouble, in my book.

[tgtate]

As a teenager (18 y/o) that lives at home, maybe I could give some insight to this thread. My parents never gave me, or my younger siblings, a talk about what we should do if a threat was to confront us whether they are on the lawn or breaking into the house. My dad has taught me the way to properly use and treat a firearm and I've also taken a Hunter Safety course. In addition, I am also the biggest gun enthusiast in my home. My mom avoids firearms, my sisters have never used one and don't really plan to, and my dad hunts with them a few times a year, but is looking into getting a CHL. I keep my personal guns in my room (only upstairs room) and can and will use them to either deter or eliminate anything that threatens my family's safety and well-being. Aside from the locks on our doors and windows, I am the only line of defense since my dad's gun safe is located in an inconvenient spot, for both him and I. Reading some of the precautions some of y'all have taken with your family members makes me think that I should bring up a conversation that can help us have a plan if someone were to jeopardize our safety.

[Moonglum]

There was a campaign here in Colorado Springs where they wanted parents to make a deal with their kids that the kid could call for a ride any time day or night if either the kid or the person they were riding with was too drunk to drive with no repercussions.

The same conversation needs to be had concerning sneaking into the home. You knock any time day or night an I let you in no questions aked and we'll discuss it later.

[kilimanjaro]

I'm sure no one here is one of those folks that shoot without knowing what the target is, or is bloodthirstily planning on killing anyone they find in the home at night, but accidents do occur, especially in the wee hours when sleep is interrupted and adrenaline levels are suddenly elevated.

Having a conversation with your teenagers about entering the house at night is only prudent.

[Boogershooter]

Moon wouldn't it be a wonderful world if teenagers made all great decisions? Wouldn't also be wonderful if drunks made good decisions? Every kid is different, some are alot more responsible than others, but asking a drunk teenager to make good decisions IMHO isn't going to be a high percentage outcome. With that said I do agree with it and if saves just one child's life it is worth doing. Kids are a product of their raising. I do allow my kids to make their own decisions about simple things and they know I'm gona ask them why they made that choice. I do this in hopes that when they get older they know that every decision warrants thinking ahead and not making hasty thoughtless choices. But inside my home there are strict rules that aren't open for debate and they know the importance of respect. Kids are gona make mistakes no matter how much you teach them or how strict you are and if they are consuming adult beverages don't expect good choices. I'm definitely not going to rely on " my kids know to always knock" and assume because I didn't hear a knock it must be a burglar.

[Moonglum]

Originally Posted by Boogershooter

I'm definitely not going to rely on " my kids know to always knock"

I very explicitly have already said that

Originally Posted by Moonglum

I also had enough sense not to trust to perfect adherence and my home was not a free fire zone

Originally Posted by Boogershooter

and assume because I didn't hear a knock it must be a burglar

And I never even remotely implied that.

[Boogershooter]

Moon sorry if you took that as a personal attack. I did not mean it to be. Just my opinions and paraphrasing from what I've heard others say. I would have highlighted and quoted you if that's what I had wanted to do. I was simply stating my opinion and personal feelings on the matter. I reckon I did so poorly but we aren't all scholars on here. Take a kid shooting and teach them fundamentals. They can then defend themselves and feed themselves for life.

[TimSr]

Most all safety issues are not either/or propositions.

We keep our guns locked away from children AND we teach children gun safety.

We identify targets before firing, AND we teach our kids not to impersonate burglars. Even if you wait for positive ID, nothing good can come from training a loaded gun on your teenager acting like a burglar.

We've all read of stories where kids used guns for defense. As much as we may not want to talk about it, it has to be discussed as a very last resort.

Teens and gun access? Each kid needs to be individually evaluated. I guess some need to be reminded of how many teens make up our military. As an avid shooter and hunter, my son's .22 rifle and shotgun were on a gun rack in his bedroom from age 10. For other kids, that might be a very bad idea.

[Jim243]

heavier duty with locks. I of course will have a key to open from the outside. That is one good idea so far

While, I personally like the idea, that is a violation of the National Fire Safety Code and at the least will get you a big fine at the worst a charge of involuntary manslaughter if someone dies.

No keyed locks on inside doors are allowed. I had to remove mine a while back during an inspection. Locks on outside doors, OK, inside doors a big NO, NO. I just have to do with organic bugler alarms (2 of them) and a 45 tucked next to the bed when not on my belt.

I don't agree with it, but you have to pay the piper (follow the rules) to keep the fire department happy. Check on your local fire regulations before spending the money on them. Stay safe.
Jim