This is for all parents. I know everybody has been watching television. Everybody can see what is happening nowadays.

This is not just about the guns on the street. This is about our children and our grandchildren. We must start at home first. Do not teach our children to kill.

One man brags about his kid killing a deer at the age of 6. Do we really need to teach our children to kill? The TV programs impress our kids enough. We have to change their mind-set.

The same way we encourage our kids to make good grades, we should encourage them to come to us if they have problems.

We start from scratch. Let our children know that they can come to us about anything. Take time to listen to our children and anything that might be troubling them.

We can't get all the guns off the streets, but we must let our children know that it's all about the choices they make in their lives. Remember that we will never get rid of guns. Take time to show our children some love.

Robert Kirkland Jr.

O'Fallon