Initially, from your statements, I would recommend a Glock 19 in 9x19! It's a great little pistol that will meet all of your 'needs' as stated...for a starter pistol. It's a combat proven, very accurate, reliable gun.
As far as kids go...we too have small kids in the house...so we have a good bedside safe and anything that's not in the safe is empty and locked up!
My wife and I both have Compact Glock pistols...she has a G-19 and I have a G-23 in .40 S&W! The thing we like most about the Glock pistols are 1) we do NOT keep a round in the chamber in the event that should one of our children get their hands on one of the guns, they cannot injure nor kill themselves nor their siblings (I will live with the belief that I have 1.5 seconds to chamber a round should I need it rather than the known risk of having a child injure or kill themselves or a sibling because I left loaded...and we train that way) and 2) the Glock (1-1/2)) DAO trigger pull...which is VERY consistent! With the Glock trigger, the first shot is the same as every other shot from the pistol!
I like the 1911 pistols...but refuse to have one around the house until my children are (much) older and better understand guns, their uses, and their inherent dangers!
I highly recommend the Glock 19 pistol for a first gun!
As far as kids go...we too have small kids in the house...so we have a good bedside safe and anything that's not in the safe is empty and locked up!
My wife and I both have Compact Glock pistols...she has a G-19 and I have a G-23 in .40 S&W! The thing we like most about the Glock pistols are 1) we do NOT keep a round in the chamber in the event that should one of our children get their hands on one of the guns, they cannot injure nor kill themselves nor their siblings (I will live with the belief that I have 1.5 seconds to chamber a round should I need it rather than the known risk of having a child injure or kill themselves or a sibling because I left loaded...and we train that way) and 2) the Glock (1-1/2)) DAO trigger pull...which is VERY consistent! With the Glock trigger, the first shot is the same as every other shot from the pistol!
I like the 1911 pistols...but refuse to have one around the house until my children are (much) older and better understand guns, their uses, and their inherent dangers!
I highly recommend the Glock 19 pistol for a first gun!