Help! Advice needed

[sweetsingingangel]

We recently got our plastic and went to visit my parents today (first time seeing them since we got our licence) but I didn't feel comfortable carrying to their place. My sig. other was carrying since the idea of having his weapon around my parents didn't bother him as bad as it did me. On the way home, we stopped at a fast food restaurant to get something to eat. 2 guys, who looked like they could have been gangsters, were walking in the middle of the driveway opening. They wouldn't move out of the way and I had no way around them, so I stopped my car. They stopped for a couple of seconds and then started walking again, staring us down the whole way. As they got closer to my vehicle, they started walking towards my driver's side door, I rolled up my window real fast and reached for my pepper spray. If I had left my window down, they could have easily touched me they were that close. Luckily, they kept walking, but we watched them the whole time they crossed the street. Any advice on how to handle a situation like this if I am not armed (since there were 2 of them, I'm not sure the pepper spray or stun gun would have been effective).
My real reason for not feeling comfortable carrying around my parents is neither one of them believes in guns. After this situation, I am not sure I will ever leave my home unarmed again, but how do I explain to my parents if they happen to come across my weapon...and what do I do going to work. (I'm a teacher and as you know schools are gun free zones). Thank you for any help and advice you can give.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

sweetsingingangel:

You are an adult now and there's no reason to keep your CHL status from your parents.
Be up front with it and they will come around to your present reality.

At school - You should be OK to leave it in your locked car, but don't let anyone at school
know that you carry. Loose lips sink ships.

Last bit of advice: White space is your friend. Hit your spacebar more often when you
post so that it's not one gigantic paragraph.

SIA

[quidni]

Do your folks really need to know that you're carrying? Did they suspect or find out that your husband was carrying? If they couldn't tell that he was carrying, they probably won't notice if you do as well. If they do notice, and don't like it, you can leave it locked in the car. But don't leave it at home!

And, do you carry "on board" or in a purse or fanny pack? If it's on you, you don't have to worry about setting your purse down when you're at someone else's home (i.e. kids or nosies getting into it). And there are ways of dressing and holstering that don't give you away while still giving access to your gun. You may have to play with it a while to find a way that works for you - or even 3 or 4 ways that work, depending on where you're going and how you're dressed. If you have the opportunity, visit with some other ladies who carry and see how they handle it. There's no single "right" way to do it. What's right is what works for you.

And when you hug, hug low on the other person - force them to hug around your shoulders. Keep your elbow over the bulge on your belt if they insist on hugging low - let them hug over your arm instead of under it.

You can keep it hidden in your locked vehicle at work. Not a problem there; I have a friend who teaches and he just tucks it under the seat of his car or in the console when he's at the school.

[CompVest]

You handled the situation well with the exception of backing away from the guys if you could. I won't let anyone that is challenging me in any way get close enough to touch me or my car. I also, would have left and found another spot to eat rather than take a chance they would come back.

And yes, I think you should be carrying your gun. If you were not comfortable carrying around the parents - always remember that carrying a gun is not supposed to be comfortable but comforting!

[LostInAustin]

CompVest...See PM.

[CompVest]

Got it, thank you.