I don't know how young your kids are but i'd encourage the safe handling of guns at a young age, familiarize the kids on how to use them properly. Teaches them valuable disipline.
If you think about it, what good is a gun if its all locked up when you need it. That 2 minutes you are running to unlock a box can be the difference between life and death you know. I'd get a gun with a hammer lock that you can keep on your keychain or something.
Personally i have my mag loaded in my nightstand, it doesn't have any kind of safety mechanisms on it whatsoever. I live alone though and I'm pretty well disiplined about the safe handling of firearms. My lady doesn't know i have them though and would flip if she found out about them. I might sell the gun and get a crossbow or something more quiet