Your children might have seen images on the news that makes it scary to go to school. School shootings and assaults have been on the rise, making code red drills more and more common in the school setting. These scary times can cause children to feel anxiety in the school place, but the good news is there are steps you can take to help ease this stress. Look below at helpful tips on how to help kids feel safe at school during scary times. This way you can be sure your child feels calm, safe, and secure in the school setting.
- Help them avoid scary images.
While we need to be honest with children that these things are happening, we don’t need to overwhelm them with graphic images. Take care to know when little eyes are watching, and keep new casts and graphic reports from flashing across the screen.
- Allow them to ask questions.
Encourage your child to ask any questions he or she might have. Let them know they are welcome to ask you questions and do your best to answer them. Let your child know you are open to conversation about their concerns.
- Review the school’s safety routines.
Your child’s teacher has no doubt gone over safety routines, but be sure to review these routines with your child. This way, everyone is on the same page. Address any concerns your child may have about these routines.
- Pick a safe place on school property.
Let your child know that in case of an emergency, you will meet at a certain point on school property. This may be a certain tree or spot in the parking lot. Let them know that if you get any word of an issue, you will be at the meeting point.
- Update all your contact information with the school.
Be sure the school has all your contact information updated. This way in case of emergency they can easily reach you. Make sure the school also has back up numbers in case they can’t reach you.
- Let the teacher know if your child has concerns.
If your child still has concerns, talk to their teacher. The teacher will know your child well and can help ease some of their concerns. If your child is exceptionally anxious, they can also enlist the help of a social worker to talk to your child and address concerns.
- Instruct children to speak up.
Make sure your child knows that if they see anything suspicious, they should never be afraid to speak up. Find a trusted adult and let them know about any issues that arise. This may be a teacher, principal, counselor, etc. This is the best way to prevent any issues and help keep the building safer.
Help kids feel safe at school during scary times when you consider these tips. With a little conversation, you will find that you can take an important role in helping them feel safe and secure.
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