And yes, Kidlet can be a yucky term to some; it's a 90's regional term - usually a generic endearment for a child you are fond of who doesn't want to be your kid (one who thinks the 'rents are so lame and dumb...).
It is less torturous than Kiddo, which was often how I was referred to growing up.
I could just as easily call her "Bug"...
And yeah, there was no way in hell her father and I would ever think of allowing a gun in the house when we finally got custody of her and we saw how much her mother and mother's boyfriends had messed her up. Even now, she's still unstable enough we wouldn't have one around.
Y'know, we continue to live in "the 'hood" - a sea of different colors and cultures where a lots of people don't understand why a white bread working-class family like ours don't a gun to protect ourselves and our 52" TV. If my husband or I had been the "cautious/big in being self-sufficient" types who would rather have an arsenal to protect themselves than get to know and trust their neighbors or call 911 if there's a problem, that might have been the kidlet when she was 14 and did start the sneaking out/running away stage of dealing with her pain and confusion.
Haele