Published in “Young Children” a journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children

As I stir vegetables in a hot pan, I see my 2-year-old daughter about to pull on the handle of the cabinet under the sink. “No, no,” I say firmly, “that cabinet is dangerous! We don’t play with it.” She pouts and gives the handle a firm tug. The child lock catches, preventing her from opening it. Again I tell her to leave the cabinet alone. She lets go and wanders into another room.

Like many parents with small children, I lock my cleaning supplies in a cabinet. Although I am careful to explain to my daughter why we don’t play in there, I know that she is young and inquisitive and doesn’t understand the hazards posed by the chemicals. I also know that despite my best intentions, I can’t have my eyes on her 24/7, and I need to take steps to protect her when my back is turned

It is our responsibility, as parents, educators, and caregivers, to teach children to recognize and avoid dangers, and to create safe environments for them. That’s why it makes sense to lock up toxic cleaning supplies, to put medication out of children’s reach, to be aware of allergens in other people’s homes that might trigger a severe reaction. If you’ve nodded along with these examples, then I ask you very respectfully to think about another potential risk for children: access to guns in your home or in the places they visit. Because gun ownership is widespread in the United States (Parker et al. 2017), this is an important topic for everyone to consider…..continue reading here