The moment we hold our newborns, we realize that we?d do anything to protect them. That?s why it?s so hard to let them out of our sight, even as they get older. How can we protect them if they?re not with us" How can we trust other people to be as vigilant as we are when it comes to their safety"
We can?t?not really?but we still try. So we ask questions. Lots and lots of questions.
We ask babysitters if they know CPR. We ask neighbors if their dogs are friendly. We ask grandparents to move low-lying glass objects to high shelves so they don?t become Frisbees. We ask daycare providers whether their facilities are nut-free, and we ask camp directors how they?ll supervise field trips. We may even ask fellow parents to avoid screen time and sugar at play dates. But chances are, there?s one question that most of us aren?t asking, and it?s putting our children in serious danger: ?Do you have a gun in your house, and if so, is it safely secured in a lock box"?
My son started kindergarten this year, and I have been asking that question to every single parent whose house he?s going to for a play date. It?s awkward, I?m not going to lie, and I stress out about it every time I say or type the words, but I do it anyway. Why" Partly because of these statistics, garnered from a recent study in the journal Pediatrics:
Each year, an average of 5,790 children in the United States are treated for gun-related injuries.
Close to 1,300 children die every year from these inc...