"I'd shoot the monsters", she said with determination.

Several months ago, the television show 20/20 aired an episode on Guns. It was a neutral show just meant to show that maybe the viewer didn't know as much as they might think. I think the episode might also have been in response to the recent rash of public assaults with guns because the previews stressed the portion of the hour that had to do with high stress situations and whether it really would be safer to have a gun when confronted with a gun.

The show was very informative. The part of the show having to deal with the gun vs gun situation was very interesting, as promised. They took 10 people, gave them a weapons class and some training, and then put them into another class on gun safety. In the "fake" class they were allowed to wear the weapon concealed, tucked into the waistband of their pants. Unknown to them, the attendees of the class were all trained officers and police personnel.

Also unknown to them was the staged attack. A man walked into the classroom and shot the teacher and then pointed it around to randomly shoot students.

The producers of the show had loaded all the guns with paint bullets, small ones that would pinpoint where bullets would have landed. Then, they showed each armed students reaction to the violent attack. In all circumstances, because they were armed, they stayed and fought. Most of them had trouble getting the gun out of their waistband before being shot. Most of them exposed themselves by remaining standing. Most of them either missed completely the gunman or shot other attendees.

They talked about how much better the odds were for the person that simply ducked and ran verses the armed person who stayed to fight. In all circumstances, the armed student would have been killed. It was very shocking to me, but also informative to know this.

Then they moved on to the part of the episode that made me sick to my stomach. It was a recreation of an experiment they had performed once before several years ago, in which they placed real guns in a playroom with toys to see how young children would react. However, before the children were released to play, they all attended a "class" with a police officer on what to do if they found a gun. They showed a movie featuring (I think it was) Elmo. Then, while the police went to talk to the parents, the kids were allowed to play. In the playroom. With the guns. Having just been instructed on gun safety.

Most of the children, ranging in ages from 2-5, picked up the guns and played with them. Pointing them at eachother and pretending to shoot another child, or looking down the barrel, or just flinging them around. Out of all the kids, only one went to get a parent. Watching the scene made me sick to my stomach. Just one of those guns that hadn't been unloaded...

The final trial of the show focused on teens. In light of events such as Columbine and others, they decided to see if the teen generation had acquired an awareness of the danger. They set up a garage and advertised for teens to come and clean it to make some money. In one of the boxes, they hid several guns.

The hidden cameras captured the action of the kids cleaning, the discovery, and the reaction. It showed that, even after current events, the teens were just as enamored of the weapons as their pip-squeak counterparts. Some of them examined them, playing around; others packed them into boxes, just dropping them in as quickly as possible; only two of the groups immediately stopped and went to find the adult in charge.

I let the whole of the show sink in, thinking about how to apply the information I'd learned. We have guns in the house, and although I was sure Short Person knew to leave them alone... and although we keep the guns and bullets well separated and hidden... there's that nagging feeling. So, I decided to put it to the test. If my daughter found a gun, what would she do? Did she know to come and get us?

*****************

The showed aired on a Sunday or Monday, but as luck would have it, I did not get to sit down with Short Person until Friday. We were sitting on the floor in my office watching a television show and playing around. One of our silly games, but I don't remember which one. She was in a good mood, laughing, and in the mood to talk.

"Hey Sweetie, I have a question for you. It's something that Mommy really needs to know." I looked at her and watched as she gave me her full attention. Loving the way that she'd sat back so that she could see my face, and then looked at me with 100% of her attention.

"Okay, Mommy. What?" Her voice is chirpy. Light.

"Honey, what would you do if..." I paused. I needed a situation she could relate too. I tried again. "What would you do if you were playing in mommy and daddy's room and you found a gun?"

I paused, hoping for that reassurance I needed.

Short Person smiled big. "I'd go and shoot the monsters!" She said with determination.

"You would, huh?" I asked, somewhat deflated. How do you stress the importance of something to a 5-year-old? Especially something that is a potential life and death scenario, when the 5-year-old doesn't know what that means?

I looked at her, so exuberant and excited. "Okay, no... that's not what you do. Let's talk about this, okay?"

And then I took the time. The time to go with scenario after scenario, turning one more thing into a game and hoping she'd understand, believe me, and remember. In every circumstance, in every scenario, it ended with "Go get and adult". It didn't matter what house she was at, or which friend she was with. It didn't matter if she was with cousins older than her, or friends younger. It didn't matter if she was with a boy, or with a girl. The result was the same. "Get an adult."

We've repeated the game several times, with me holding my breath hoping she remembers.

If you've taken the time to read this, all I ask is that you take 5 more minutes and talk to your own children. No matter their age, make sure they know the answer. Take the time to give yourself the assurance. Take the time.