Because my husband is a former police officer and we both conceal-carry, we have always had guns in our home, even when our children were little. We kept the guns locked in a gun safe. When the kids were old enough, we took them to the gun range to teach them proper handling of and respect for guns. We always emphasized to our children that guns are a responsibility, not a toy. It’s important for parents to take an active role in teaching gun safety to their children, because too often children see guns in popular culture treated as if they were toys without any serious consequences.

Today, my husband and I own a gun range where we teach children the basics of gun safety with the Eddie Eagle GunSafe program. The message is direct, simple, and easy for children to remember. If you see a gun, stop, don’t touch, run away, tell a grownup. I am convinced those four easy steps have saved countless young lives. But it’s not just gun ranges that offer the Eddie Eagle program, schools and law enforcement agencies partner to teach children in kindergarten through fourth grade.