What you need to know
- Talking with other parents about whether they have guns and how they’re stored can help you make informed decisions about playdates.
- Experts recommend making sure firearms are stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition whenever children may be present and in accordance with state laws.
- Parents should also teach children that if they find a gun, they should not touch it, leave the area, and tell a trusted adult.
Michigan dad Brandon Byrd doesn’t own guns himself, but gun ownership is common in his home state. More than one in three Michigan adults say they have a firearm at home, and gun ownership is rising nationwide.
As Byrd’s 6-year-old grows more independent and starts having playdates with friends, Byrd plans to ask other parents about safer firearm storage before his son visits their homes.
“I feel a bit unprepared,” Byrd tells Public Good News. “My wife and I just started talking about what we would ask [other parents] and what our strategy would be. [Gun safety] is an important topic. I’d like to hear more tips for parents on how to go into those conversations.”
Just like asking if a pool has a fence or whether a child has any allergies, asking about firearm storage is another important way to help keep kids safe. Here’s how to start the conversation.
Why conversations about gun storage matter
Children and teens are curious, and they may find firearms even if adults think they’re hidden. Research shows that many children know where guns are stored in their homes, and some have handled them without an adult’s knowledge. A 2026 study found that nearly 7 million U.S. kids live in a home with a loaded and unlocked firearm, increasing their risk of injury and death.
Firearm injuries are a leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens, and more than three quarters of accidental child firearm deaths occur with unsecured guns.
“Firearms are a part of many people’s everyday lives and culture,” Jessica Roche, managing director of the University of Michigan’s Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, tells PGN. “So we need to find a way to talk about this challenge in a productive way that is ultimately focused on decreasing unauthorized access to a firearm, even accidentally.”
How to ask other parents about gun ownership and storage
Asking other families about guns might feel awkward at first. Kat, a Michigan mom who owns guns and asked to be identified by her first name to protect her privacy, says that’s a small price to pay for a safer playdate.
“You are their parent. You are their best and only advocate at this age,” Kat says. “I would rather ask a question and get peace of mind and make it a little uncomfortable, versus having something horrific happen.”
The conversation doesn’t have to be complicated.
“Keep it open and honest, but don’t get aggressive,” says Mike Mitchell, a chief range safety officer for the National Rifle Association and certified hunter safety instructor in Michigan.
Roche recommends “grouping [questions about gun storage] in with other safety questions to help make these conversations feel less awkward. You can say something like, ‘I have a couple of things to chat about before X comes over. My child is allergic to peanuts, so I can send snacks with them, if helpful! … And do you have any firearms in the house?”
If you’re a gun owner, you can initiate the conversation by offering information about your own gun storage. Before starting a nanny share with neighbors, Kat shared that her family owns guns and stores them in a locked safe.
“I was trying to alleviate some stress of bringing it up by saying, ‘I would want to know [if there are guns in your home], so I thought you guys might want to know,’” she says. “Every parent deserves to know if there are guns [in a home] because they might choose not to let their kids be there.”
If your child will be in a household with guns, here are questions to ask
“How are your guns and ammunition stored?”
“People may have different interpretations of what ‘secure storage’ is, so it is recommended that parents educate themselves on what secure storage means and any laws in their state around child access,” Roche says.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says kids are safest in homes without guns. When guns are present, they should be stored unloaded and locked in a lock box or safe, with ammunition locked away separately.
Under Michigan law, secure storage means keeping guns in a locked box or unloaded and locked with a locking device in homes and vehicles where children may be present.
“Do any children or teens in your household know how to access your guns?”
Secure storage is most effective when children and teens can’t get to the firearms or unlock where they’re kept. In some households, kids and teens might know the code for their household’s gun safe or where to find a safe’s key.
“With peer pressure alone, sometimes kids can be talked into accessing their parents’ guns,” Mitchell says. That can be dangerous for children of all ages. Even young toddlers may be strong enough to pull a trigger.
If you don’t feel comfortable with the way another family stores their guns, opt for playdates in your own home instead or in a neutral location, like a park.
“I would say, ‘Based on what you said—I’m not trying to insult you or anything—but I personally don’t feel comfortable,’” Kat says. “It’s an opportunity to educate somebody that they might be doing something that’s unsafe.”
Talk with your child about gun safety, too
Even if you ask other parents about gun storage, it’s also important to teach your child what to do if they ever find a gun.
“Make sure that your child understands that when an unsupervised firearm is present, that this is a dangerous situation and to remove themselves from it and tell a trusted adult,” Roche says. “Parents are also encouraged to talk with their older children to brainstorm strategies to get out of situations when firearms might be present. Involving them in the conversation ensures they feel comfortable with whatever is decided.”
Where can Michigan residents find free gun locks?
Michigan residents can find locations offering free gun locks using this map from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Free gun safety kits and trigger locks are also available in other states through Project ChildSafe.
Learn more about firearm safety and harm prevention from MDHHS.
This article was supported by the Michigan Health Communications Initiative, a health campaign that receives funding from the Michigan Public Health Institute. Public Good News retains full editorial control over its reporting.