Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion What would you do?

Me, the mom of a 12 year old (and 10 and 8 year old) wouldn't think twice about it - I absolutely believe that the risk of something happening associated with the gun shot *at all* is very low, and much lower that it would happen to somehow actually happen to my child. I don't know about where you live, but in our area it's legal to carry concealed weapons if you have a license - that seems like a much higher risky thing to worry about. When my cousin was in high school she was accidentally shot in a foot by a friend - not something you'd ever expect to have happened, especially in the situation she was in at the time - *those* things I think, while almost 100% *not* to happen are still probably more likely to happen than something associated with the gun store.

As the mom of a 12 year old 2e child, whom it took us literally almost all of elementary school to find a good school fit for - no way would I have time to even think about the shop, and no way would I pull my ds out of the school once I'd found a great school.

And now that I've been so nonchalant about the gun shop, I also have to let you know how I would have answered this question when my oldest was in preschool - I would have freaked out with worry. I almost didn't send him to a really great preschool because the teachers took the kids to the nearby park every afternoon. I *loved* that they went on walks to parks - in theory. But then I saw a teacher leading a group of 3 & 4 year olds down the street in pairs and all I could think of - when my ds does that, he's going to step out off the sidewalk into the street at the exact minute a car flings by. Fortunately I was talked down on that matter by my girlfriends, I sent him to the school (still worrying) and he never once came anywhere near the path of a car (as far as I know!). He also loved his preschool and so did I.

Later on as my ds grew I found other things to freak out with worry over too - I think that's all a part of watching our kids grow and slowly letting go. Just this last summer ds took a sailing course. DS knows how to swim, but he'd never been sailing before. They were going to sail (deep long breath here.....) on... a lake. OH YIKES was I nervous about that. But dh talked me down and we sent him off and he had a blast. He's had so many opportunities over the years that... I've totally worried my socks off of and I'm sure that 90% of the gray hairs on my head are due to those worries. The good news is, it has always so far worked out ok (knocking on wood here! lol!).

Practically speaking, in your situation, I'd probably just ask around among the other parents to see if anyone else has worried about it, and if so, have they heard anything that's really of concern. I'd even probably ask the folks at the front desk at the school or the playground supervisors or even the principal. I think you'll most likely hear a lot of reassurance.

Congrats on finding a good school!

polarbear

ps - not meant to scare or anything, but do you ask friends' parents if they have guns in the house before you let your child go there for a playmate? I don't, but I'm mentioning that because the times I've heard or children being hurt by guns, other than when they are caught in random cross-fire between rival gangs... have all been when kids were playing at someone's house and a gun is either played with or accidentally fired. That's what happened to my cousin.