While 50 percent of Americans mistakenly believe that a gun in the home is protective rather than dangerous, statistics indicate that a gun in the home is 43 times more likely to kill or injure a friend or family member than an intruder. And because children are naturally curious and likely to find a gun or play with it, parents need to know if guns are kept in homes where their children play.

At the Million Mom March held in Washington on Mother’s Day, organizers introduced the ASK Campaign (Asking Saves Kids) to prevent gun violence. The campaign encourages parents to ask their neighbors if they have a gun in the home before sending their children over to play. The National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) is one of the organizations endorsing the campaign.

Parents need to know about the environments where their children play in order to keep them safe. And if you find out that a gun is kept in a friend’s home, you have two choices:

	Don’t let your child play in that house. Instead, invite that friend to play at your house.
	Make sure that the gun is stored, unloaded and locked, ideally in a gun safe. Hiding guns is not enough. Countless tragedies have occurred when kids find guns that parents thought were well hidden.

Write to NACHRI, Child Advocacy
401 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314
or e-mail: klally@nachri.org