It has been over a month since the tragic school shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. The horrific event left a community devastated and our nation reeling in the wake of another act of violence in what should be a safe environment for our children.
As a result, some kids may have apprehension about or suffer from anxiety when going to school. If your student is having trouble going back into the classroom, here are some helpful tips to make the transition easier after winter break:
Talk With Your Child
The best thing you can do is talk to your child about their fears. While some parents worry bringing up school shootings may frighten their children, it actually allows children the chance to voice their feelings about them. By avoiding the subject, children may become more fearful or worried. Experts suggest being open and honest with children and allowing them to ask any questions that they may have.
Limit Media Exposure
While it is important to be transparent with your child about a school shooting, make sure that you are limiting media exposure. Even if the shooting hasn’t happened to them, seeing footage or reports of the shooting can be traumatizing. Some research even suggests that younger children may not be able to discern repeat media coverage, and they may think that a new shooting is occurring each time it is covered in the media.
Give Them Proper Active Shooter Training
These days, active shooter training is standard in almost all schools. Ensure that your child is educated on what to do in the event of an active shooter, and remind them that these skills are taught to help keep them safe. In fact, it is believed that proper training helped to save countless lives in the Oxford shooting. “It is evident from the scene that lockdown protocols, training, and equipment Oxford schools had in place saved lives,” said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard in a statement. If you’re looking to further educate and prepare your family, yourself, or your staff, sign up for active shooter training, such as the one proudly offered by Heart to Beat.
Our team offers in-depth, hands-on training that will help attendees to identify potential violence in advance of a tragedy, implement effective response in the event of an active shooter, and understand how to respond and coordinate with law enforcement. This class is great for families, students, or businesses. To learn more or to arrange a private training session, contact our team today.
