Cynthia my view is to go back to basics. The issue really gets back to getting taught the correct way to work with the machine.
It starts at understanding the two basic cuts.
Rip and Cross cut
It also means in your case getting a sense of when to put a panel of wood on the TS and when not to.
I use my guard and i dont use my guard, it depends on what i am doing.
But if i dont use my guard then i do use a small splitter mounted in a zero clearance insert.
However when you cut dados with a dado blade i see no way you can do either.
You said you going up to drew sometime. Well take some wood up to him and let him take you through the cuts so you understand when the wood is likely to bind on the blade.
Dont take some nice wood get some real narly stuff. The thing to see is that when you cut a board you release some pent up tensions in one or other side of it. This causes it to bow. The splitter is there to keep it apart. The best is if Drew can show you this. You are unlikely to see it cutting plywood.
With plywood the binding and hence kickback is likely to happen because of movement while you pushing it through the blade. That all leads to the issue of what the saw you have is intended for and the size the table can support.
The other side of the coin is a cross cut. I have seen rookies put the fence at the setting for the off cut they want.
This is a NO NO. Its dangerous because the edge that you lining up against the fence can bind between the fence and the blade as you push it through.
So you see if you get shown and understand where the issues are and take the right precautions then that helps as a started to know even when you blade guard is going to be needed.
I simply like it to keep my hands away from anywhere near the blade. When i feel myself touching the plastic cover Its a wake up call and i consider myself lucky.
I too have a Gripper and think its the best invention yet in new woodworking aids. By comparison to a push stick, i think its way safer.
To me again it gets back to how often a hobbiest works with his saw, and then the other side of the coin is getting to familiar with it that you take chances. Like a wild animal it will bite.
On a long board, I feed it by hand until I get to the last couple feet, then I use the Grr-ripper to feed it the rest of the way through the blade. On a short board, I feed with the Grr-ripper from the get-go. 
