To the editor:

Gina Spade’s Public Forum letter on Sept. 3 shed light on the risk that unsecured guns in a home pose to children. More than 700 children are killed or injured in gun accidents every year.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence sponsors an initiative called Asking Saves Kids (ASK), which focuses on a small but important step parents can take to reduce the likelihood that their child will become the victim of an accident involving a gun. Hiding guns is not enough. Talking to your kids about gun safety is not enough. Children are naturally curious, and if they find a gun, they’ll play with it. That’s why all guns should be stored unloaded and locked, ideally in a gun safe, with ammunition locked separately.

So before you send your child to another home, just ask. And if you have doubts about the safety in any home, invite the kids to yours instead. Asking might lead to some awkwardness, but that’s a small price to pay for your child’s safety.