From World Peace Herald:

'Education is a very big part,' says Mr. Blaschke, an elementary and middle school teacher who lives in Northern Virginia. 'Guns and families can coexist. It boils down to responsibility. A responsible gun owner needs to make sure his children develop a respect for [the guns].'

These days, two of Mr. Blaschke's stepdaughters -- Meghan Nelson, 14, and Darby Nelson, 10 -- are safe as well as skilled with guns. They practice at the shooting range with Mr. Blaschke. Darby is thinking of entering a competition. The third stepdaughter is not interested in guns.

'John and Darby have really bonded doing things like this,' says the girls' mother, Sara.

The article goes on to mention both pro- and con-having guns in the house with children, and even talks about the (gasp) Eddie Eagle program from the NRA.

My two cents: I have loaded guns in the house with small children. My loaded guns are locked, but I have quick access to them. I give my kids quick gun lessons every now and then--they always help me clean the guns after I've had a visit to the range. Neither is responsible enough to handle a loaded gun yet, but they are learning. Until then, the guns stay locked, and the key stays with me. And they both love going to the gun show.

From TimesDispatch.com:

And until Friday, Virginia law had prohibited anyone other than law-enforcement officials from possessing loaded guns on school property. Individuals with concealed-weapon permits could have an unloaded gun with them in their vehicle, but it had to be in a case or on a gun rack.

Unfortunately (of course), there are still those who fear everything--including responsibility for their own protection--who think everyone should remain defenseless:

The recent legislation "is just a tragedy waiting to happen," said Pamela Pouchot, chairwoman of the Virginia Committee for Gun-Free Schools. She added that it edges "closer and closer to arming everyone with loaded guns."

Pouchot said people who have permits and know how to use a firearm will be able to load it quickly if they need to use it.

She said she fears that someone with easy access to a loaded gun would use it to settle a disagreement when that person's judgment might be clouded.

"Everybody starts out in this life innocent, having never committed a crime," Pouchot said. "But just because I'm rational today doesn't mean I'm going to be rational tomorrow."

So apparently anyone who has an unloaded gun on them can load it quickly enough to use even when under violent attack, but they won't be able to load it and use it quickly when they decide to cut loose on someone who bumped them in the parking lot. Her last line really kills me. Maybe she has a family history of sudden-onset murderous insanity.