How young is old enough to be armed at home alone?

[pepito]

My father has never owned a gun safe and since I was 10 I knew exactly where the guns and ammo were. I downplayed the stupidity simply because, at that time, the thought of upsetting him and seeing that belt come out was worse than a thousand cops banging on my parents doors.

[Colorado Osprey]

My father has never owned a gun safe and since I was 10 I knew exactly where the guns and ammo were. I downplayed the stupidity simply ...

When you grow up this way you see guns as tools, just like a drill or a knife.
People don't lock those items up in their houses!! There is no stupidity there if the there was introduction/safety to the kids and the curiosity was culled.

I own safes to protect from theft, not to protect my family from itself.
I also teach that a gun doesn't need to be loaded until your ready to use it. Even while hunting I don't carry a loaded gun. In fact I usually take dry fire shots at the animal while hunting to cure the buck fever before I load and fire the kill shot. I teach this practice while guiding hunts to promote gun safety as well as cure buck fever. It makes those not so familiar with guns feel very confident when they finally take the shot.

I have never needed to carry a loaded firearm except when I worked law enforcement.

If someone wants to hurt themselves they will do it. They will find a way whether it is a gun, knife car, medicine etc. If someone uses a gun to kill themselves it is not the gun's fault or where it was kept. That person had issues and it was gonna happen anyway you look at it.

I feel sorry for folks that don't show kids gun safety and no touch; at a young age get rid of their curiosity and under supervision let them get their curiosity out. My kids can see guns under supervision almost when ever they want. We also go shoot when ever they want or can.

When something has no novelty there is no need for concern.

IMHO gun introduction/safety starts very young when they show interest. Most boys this age is 3-5 years old.

I don't have guns out. They are not all locked up either. I also don't let kids (other than my own) in my house unsupervised... I guess when you live in the country you also don't have kids friends and neighbor kids to worry about stopping by to play.