Ask Jo Frost: Gun Safety in the Home

I have admired the spunk and smarts of Jo Frost since before I even became a parent.

As the star of everyone’s favorite parenting-critique program, Jo Frost manages to wrangle all manner of badly behaved children and poorly disciplining parents. A little naughty step here, a family rules chart there, and wham! The formerly dysfunctional poster family starts functioning and maybe even enjoying each other. It’s magic!

Let’s just say, much of what I know about discipline and order in the family environment came from watching Jo on TV. I know, I’m pretty awesome like that.
So I’m thrilled to share some advice from Jo Frost about a topic that I’m sure many of you have encountered or wondered about (I know I have):

Asking about gun safety in the home where your child’s playdate or birthday party is taking place.

Dear Jo Frost,

I have admired your work for some time and followed much of your advice. I have a question that I need some advice on. My 6 year old is of the age now to go on playdates which I leave him at the other families home and/or attend sleep overs. With the increasingly horrific headlines in the news reporting accidental gun accidents, people not using safety mechanisms and such, how do I know someone’s policy in their homes regarding guns. How do you ask them if they have firearms, are they locked up etc.  What is appropriate without sounding a bit nutty or paranoid?

Thank you,

Gun-Shy Mamma

Jo Frost Says…

Thank you for your very relevant question that I continue to be asked, especially over the last several years. Trust me when I tell you as a responsible, conscientious parent there is nothing nutty or paranoid about your question; the facts are there for us all to see…unfortunately. For those parents who have chosen to be irresponsible and at the cost of so many children’s lives, we now do need to be very open with other parents about this safety issue.

To ask directly whether one owns guns and takes safety precautions should come as organic as being able to ask whether a family has the correct legal requirements around their swimming pool, or in making sure a child is not exposed to a food that could send them into anaphylactic shock and be as fatal as a loaded gun. America has a right to bear arms; as a parent you have a right to ask questions that will protect your child.

Let us not as families here in America be offended by such questions asked. Let us be open and willing to reassure each other with the same ultimate goal. To raise our children with nurture, love and protection.

More about Jo

Childcare expert and child advocate Jo Frost has always had a natural gift for connecting with kids and helping parents navigate milestones with practical, easy solutions. With more than 25 years of experience in the family arena and the success of her hit television shows, she’s proven her ability to bring peace and stability to any home.

Now, the New York Times bestselling author offers parents and caregivers her invaluable methods in JO FROST’S TODDLER RULES: Your 5-Step Guide to Shaping Proper Behavior to help tame toddler tantrums and curb troublesome behavior—from mealtime struggles to bedtime battles, and everything in between.

You can visit her online at www.JoFrost.com or follow her on Twitter @Jo_Frost.