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Every parent needs to discuss this and also teach their child ways to protect themselves if this does happen again which it will. That is for any age child. The more you teach your child the better prepared they will be if this happens. Its not just schools its malls, the movies, playgounds etc..
I realized last night as I was talking to my children about this incident that we needed to talk to them about mental illness too. That was a very hard conversation, much harder than anticipated.
Here are some resources regarding talking to kids about mental illness:
I realized last night as I was talking to my children about this incident that we needed to talk to them about mental illness too. That was a very hard conversation, much harder than anticipated.
Here are some resources regarding talking to kids about mental illness:
I don't understand what is so hard about this. You tell your child that some people are just sick in their head and it makes them do things that they don't want to do....... sometimes bad things. Kids know what it means to be sick. The people who are sick in their head should be in the hospital but our society doesn't want to spend the money to do that. That may be harder to explain. Also many of these people can be helped with medicine but some don't do that either. It doesn't happen too often so they shouldn't be scared. If they are older you can explain the signs and warn them to be aware of anyone who "acts strange".
I don't understand what is so hard about this. You tell your child that some people are just sick in their head and it makes them do things that they don't want to do....... sometimes bad things. Kids know what it means to be sick. The people who are sick in their head should be in the hospital but our society doesn't want to spend the money to do that. That may be harder to explain. Also many of these people can be helped with medicine but some don't do that either. It doesn't happen too often so they shouldn't be scared. If they are older you can explain the signs and warn them to be aware of anyone who "acts strange".
That may be fine for the 6 and under crowd, older children require more thoughtful and detailed explanations. Older children have heard a lot more about mental illness, may have friends with mental illness, developmental disorders, mood disorders, or emotional and communication impairment, and one has to tread carefully.
lee woodruff is on CBS and speaking about this issue. she says its better for the parent to talk to the children starting with a child who starts ANY type of school or public community program. Or they will learn an maybe misinformed from other kids.
She mentioned you have to teach them self defense and how to protect themselves when a parent/ adult is not with them or is hurt in situation.
I told my 10 year old this morning since she was busy last night with a play date. There are people out there we will never understand their motives behind what they do or why. Adults whom are paid to find out why will try to find out why this happened and will try stop it from happening in the future. Instead of her spending time wondering why this person did it, we need to say a prayer for those innocent hearts who had fallen to this tragedy.
I informed her this is something that should have never happened. There are more tragedies out there throughout the world and we are in a safe area but not to put our heads in the sand. If she ever hears of someone wanting to hurt people she needs to let someone know.
She understood and I gave her a hug and tried to make her realize that we should be very happy where we live and that she is safe at school.
As for my 7yr old I gave him a hug and he doesn't understand I told him that I would always try to keep him safe then he went back to playing Mine craft.
TV is off for the news for the rest of the day and Christmas music is on and cookies being cut.
This is when I am happy that our school has so many measures that no adult is allowed in at any time unless the front office is aware and the parents need to have prior approval to coming through the locked doors. However, it still does not guarantee this from happening and the school has once a year crisis drills where the kids are told to get under the desks and cover when hearing loud popping noise.
Last comment is I cannot believe this happened and I am still crying for those children and parents whom lost the children. I hope we as adults do not dwell on the boy that did this shocking crime but on the children lost and start a scholarship in the name of the class for something good comes out of this, I do not know what but something good has be given in their name to these innocent hearts taken.
Zim- Thank you for starting this thread. It is a very hard thing to discuss with kids no matter what age they are. They all have different needs when discussing something like this, and I think it is a good idea to bounce ideas off of each other.
It is hard to try to reassure them that it is a rare occurrence, but at the same time try to teach them to watch out for stuff like that.
One of the things I told DD in our discussion to help reassure her was that it is on the news BECAUSE it is so rare. If this happened every day, it wouldn't be on the news.
This is when I am happy that our school has so many measures that no adult is allowed in at any time unless the front office is aware and the parents need to have prior approval to coming through the locked doors. However, it still does not guarantee this from happening and the school has once a year crisis drills where the kids are told to get under the desks and cover when hearing loud popping noise.
Well, it turns out that the perp shot his way in... no one "allowed" him in.
According to information released the doors on the school were locked after 9:30 it appears at this time the doors might have not been locked. I might be wrong if the news has been changed throughout the day since as I said I am not listening to it since I have small children in the household that do not need to be constantly reminded of this horrific tragedy. I thought he shot his way in but according to one parent at the school the principle and counselor were in the school in a meeting when they heard the shots and they went out of the room to check on what was happening. According to the first grade teacher interviewed last night the shooting started and she put the children in the bathroom and her classroom was the first classroom upon entering the doors of the school. I do not think anyone will ever know what exactly happened or whom is to fault. This is not the debate, however, it is what to say to children when a horrific tragedy has happened.
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