Do you feel your children are safer living in the UK (than the U.S.)?

I do. 

I know there are very dangerous, difficult areas of the UK, and the history of police action/dentention against youths is nothing less than abominable.  The rate of violence from teachers toward students isn't something I feel good about either here.  Etc.

But!  Last night, Bowling for Columbine was on the tele (for the 50th time, it seems) and I also read a harrowing story about two boys shooting cars today (salon.com) and my immediate, intuitive reaction is that my kids are tremendously safer growing up in the UK instead of the US.  The gun issue alone is something that really scares me about America.  Even if my family never has guns, there is an excellent chance a playmate's family will (have guns).

I know i probably can't justify very well as to why I feel my kids are so much safer here, but I will say that I have a wee bit more peace of mind as a mom with my kids growing up in the UK.  And I'll take all the peace of mind I can get!

The gun issue alone is something that really scares me about America.  Even if my family never has guns, there is an excellent chance a playmate's family will (have guns).

Bingo.

No, I don't feel she is safer here than in the US.  No place is safe.  The only thing I can do is give her confidence, common sense, and the best training for life I can and hope it serves her well and she is blessed with good luck. 

Some psycho got hold of a gun a few years back and killed 25 people at a primary school in Dunblane, Scotland. 

It can happen a/where. 

Yes, it can happen anywhere.  But there is a much bigger chance of it happening in a country where guns are as easy to get as candy bars.

And every kid is a "kid" at some point in their life - where all the best parenting in the world cannot overcome basic inherent curiousity.     It seemed that not a month would go by where there wasn't an article in the paper about some YOUNG child getting their hands on a gun and hurting/killing another small child.  I don't miss reading those stories.

On the whole, I just don't feel any place is necessarily 'safer' at all.  I never let my guard down like that - not as a woman or a parent.  Instead of reading about gun accidents here I read about stabbings and beatings. 

Thanks for your post Muse, it is an interesting subject.  I guess it could depend where you are with the UK or US that makes a difference also - especially in the US which can differ widely in culture from state to state, or city to city.   We are hoping to move out of London soon because we don't think it is a good place to be with young children.  Hopefully we will end up somewhere where kids can play outdoor without fear of being run over/kidnapped/shot at.  But again as Expat points out, there are nutters everywhere - Dunblane it a good example.  Also back in the 70s I remember my primary school being evacuated because of bomb scares - supposedly by the IRA. 

It can happen a/where. 

For sure.  Possible doesn't equal probable, and I guess what I'm getting at is probability and likelihood.

After reading 'The Gift of Fear' and 'Protecting the Gift', there are unique issues wrt to firearms and the U.S., that other countries just don't have.  Those books are also all about helping chidren to listen to their gut, trust their instincts, speak out, use their animal senses to protect themselves.

So just saying I feel a 'wee bit' better here.  And yes, you are so right, Britwife about the diversity.  I came from living in a city who at times has had the #1 murder rate in the U.S., so I feel safer in a smaller village at this time.

I think my children are safer here.  Definately.  Not just the gun culture, and not exactly street-smarts, but I think my kids are more worldly than their American cousins. 

The thing about Dunblane is, that you can look at it and say it can happen anywhere but you've got to remember that it wasn't just looked at as a terrible thing that nothing could be done about.  Real things were done to improve safety.  All schools looked at security and measures were taken to improve.  Locks were put on doors, cctv was installed in many schools.  Gates and systems for visitors were formalized.  Not just that, but already tight gun control was tightened.  It makes me feel better that the reaction to Dunblane was very pro-active.