With a firearm in one-third of American homes with children, it's very likely that, as a parent, you’ve thought about gun safety for your child. This statistic comes from Asking Saves Kids (ASK), a national campaign that encourages gun safety – something that may seem intense for a child, but is absolutely necessary.

Children are naturally curious. To learn about the world, they gravitate toward the new and interesting, especially things that often get portrayed as "taboo" like drugs, alcohol – and guns. Though it can be a nerve-racking discussion, an important part of preparing your child to be an adult is teaching them how to think about guns when they do encounter one, whether it’s in your home or someone else’s. The ASK campaign promotes one simple idea to help with this conversation, which is to ask one very critical question: "Is there an unlocked gun in your house?

Parents and caregivers need to ask this important question before deciding whether to send a child to someone’s house to play. Conversely, if children are coming over to your house, it’s also important to tell the child’s parents that you keep a gun in the home. Keeping kids safe takes communication by everyone involved.