SARASOTA, FL (WWSB) - Copycat threats have been made across the nation following the deadly Parkland shooting. Students are being arrested, and schools are being locked-down in fear of another tragedy. It leaves parents wondering how they explain this senseless violence to their kids while trying to manage their own fears about their child's safety at school.
Therapists are suggesting ways to talk to them about the recent events that could ease their fears.
While parents manage their own fears, they have to be emotionally available for their children to talk to.
"You want to make sure that they have some perspective on the reality of how frequent these things happen," Dr. Kristie Skoglund of the Florida Center for Early Childhood says. "We may hear about them all of the time, but they don't really happen that often, and there are a lot of measures being taken to make sure that families and communities and schools are safe."
It's okay to express your own fears as a parent, Dr. Skoglund says, but make sure they know that schools are generally very safe.
If your child is afraid to go to school, talk to administration and reiterate with your child what the school is doing to keep him or her safe.
"Show them what the measures are," Dr. Skoglund recommends. "'See these cameras here, they help us see people that are coming into the school. See these doors, they are always locked so that we know who is coming in and who's not coming in.'"
Teenagers often times will get a lot of their information from social media, so help them sort fact from fiction. Younger kids may see the story air over and over on TV so limit their media exposure.
Therapists say it's really important to not dismiss what your kids are saying, but to really listen and be supportive. Make sure they know they can come to you with any fear or worry and that you won't judge them, but instead will help them work through it.
