Be Smart for Kids: Safety tips for playdates & sleepovers
Playdates & Sleepovers Safety Tips
Below is a guest post for SouthernMamas.com by Kathryn Drury Wagner with the nonprofit BeSMART
When preparing for playdates and sleepovers for the kids, you’ve prepped for these with conversations like, “should he bring a sleeping bag?” or “please have her bring a swimsuit.” There’s another important topic to consider—talking about secure firearm storage. That’s because firearms are now the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. But these tragedies are preventable, and it’s more important than ever for families to talk about secure firearm storage.
I get it. It can feel super uncomfortable to talk about this. But hey, your kids’ safety is your business. Just like you’d ask about other safety stuff—like whether a family has a cat (pack that Claritin!) or if an adult will be home during a teen’s party—you can and should ask about how guns are stored. (The gold standard for secure storage is to keep all guns unloaded, locked up, and separate from ammunition.)
So how do we talk about this without feeling weird? A lot of moms find that texting makes this conversation so much less awkward. Here are some examples of what you could say:
“Before I drop my son off, I just wanted to check to see if you have pets? And also ask if you have firearms in your house and confirm how they are stored. I want to make sure he knows your safety rules.”
Or,
“I know my daughter hasn’t been to your home before and I do like to ask a few safety questions. She is skittish around dogs, do you have any? Also, do you own any firearms, and if so, how are they stored? She doesn’t have any allergies. Thanks so much.”
If you own a firearm, you could say:
“Hi! We just got a new puppy—I wanted to flag in case there were any allergies. Also, I wanted to let you know that we hunt in the fall, but our guns are stored securely, unloaded, locked, with the ammunition stored separately. Can’t wait to see you!”
If your child is a teen:
“Hey, excited the kids are getting together. I know that they’ve hung out a lot, but my daughter has never been over to your house so I want to confirm a couple of things: Will an adult be at the house the whole time? I heard a story on the news that made me realize I
should always ask this—do you have any firearms, and if so, how are they stored? Also, do you need me to pick her up or can you give her a ride home?”
For teenage babysitters:
Ask your teen if they would like to take the lead on asking, or if they would like you to ask on their behalf. Sample texts could be:
[From a teen] “I’m confirming 7 p.m. on Saturday. Let me know if the kids want me to bring some games? Also, my parents wanted me to ask if there are any unsecured guns in the home? Thanks!”
[Or from you] “We’re excited to have Harper babysit your twins on Saturday. I heard a story on the news that made me realize I should always ask this—do you have any firearms, and if so, how are they stored? Also, do you need me to pick her up or can you give her a ride home?”
Safer kids, safer communities
After you text a few of these conversations, it becomes much more natural. And it’s so worth it, because we can never make assumptions when a child’s safety is at stake.
Want more resources? Check out the nonprofit BeSMART.
