These are the basic firearms safety rules for beginners. Eventually you will need to dry fire for practice as it's not financially feasible to do all of your trigger practice at a firing range.
Jeff Cooper, a former United States Marine and expert on small arms, created the "Four Rules" of safe firearm handling:
Treat every weapon as if it were loaded
Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you're ready to fire
Never point a weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot
Be sure of your target and what is in front and behind it
Firearms Safety
Most Americans think that a safe or locked room is the best firearm safety when it is not. This is the last layer of defense. The best safety is educating your entire household and children as early as possible not to mess with your firearm without your physical supervision. You can use both methods. I do have cable locks available for sale along with hard-case gun containers that you can attach a lock to
Kids are curious and want to play with guns or any other object naturally, It is your responsibility to teach them not to do that. Locking it away is only a fail-safe. Take them out to the gun range if you must to demonstrate that these objects are destructive. There is no such thing as a kid too young to learn. Teach them the gun safety rules as you've learned. Teach them about clearing a gun. A hidden gun in the closet is asking for trouble. Kids have to be taught about hot stoves and sharp knives and your firearm is no different. Do not try to censor it away from them because it never works. Fore example, teaching kids the dangers of smoking or alcohol works. Locking up tobacco or alcohol and hiding it from them will only make them more curious about it and one day they might find the key or pin code.
Steel bars, steel doors, and remembering to lock your doors is a very good investment to prevent home invasions.