>Is that legal where you live? I'd expect it to be child endangerment at least.
>
>Question...in raising your kids, how did you deal with ....
>
>1) Crossing the street
>2) Riding a bike in the road

These two go together. We taught them how to cross safely and to assume there's an idiot on the road. They weren't allowed to ride in the street until they were 10 or 12 and first had to ride with us a few times.

>3) Confronting alcohol and drugs (even the medicine cabinet)

We modeled the behavior we wanted them to learn and we talked a lot about the issues around this stuff, making sure they knew the dangers involved.

>4) Dealing with strangers, online stalkers, etc.

When they were young, the rules was not to talk to strangers unless they were with one of "their adults." We went on from there, but were probably much less paranoid about this stuff than people seem to be today.

>5) Knives

If you mean knives as weapons, non-issue. My aunt did give Solomon a Swiss Army knife for his Bar Mitzvah, after clearing it with me. But otherwise not part of our life.

If you mean kitchenware, we gave them access to age-appropriate knives (table knife at 3 or 4, and cooking knives later as they gained dexterity).

>6) Fighting

We taught them that there was no excuse for starting a physical fight. If attacked, you should walk away if possible. If you can't, do what you must to extract yourself.

>These are all dangers that children and teens regularly encounter

Yep, and I see no reason to add guns to that list. Certainly, in an urban/suburban area, they offer no benefits, and we'd all be much better off if no one in these areas had them.

FWIW, my kids have turned out quite well (if I do say so myself). They use alcohol only appropriate and don't use recreational drugs. Knives they both use, since both cook quite well.

To the best of my knowledge, the last time either of them had any sort of physical confrontation, it was with each other when they were 18 and 14, respectively.

Tamar