Violence @ School

We all are terrified by the violence we see in schools across the country. As adults it is difficult to comprehend how these acts of violence come to be. What do our children think when they hear of these events?

We would like to believe that we can isolate our children from the reality of these unthinkable crimes, but they happen in our backyards and our communities. For every Columbine, Bailey, CO, Jacksboro, TN, and now Nickel Mines in bucolic Amish country, there are dozens more examples where violence in school has paralyzed a community.

Some of the issues you may want to discuss with your kids about Violence in Our Schools are:

• You have talked to the principal and teachers at your child's school and have discussed the procedures they have in place to make sure that the children are safe.
• Explain some of the procedures in language relevant to the age group.
• Watch the news with your child so you can filter stories as they unfold.
• Share your own feelings. It will help children legitimize their own.

Here are some questions you may want to ask your kids:

• If you know they heard or saw something on TV you might ask "Was there something you heard or saw on TV that bothered you?"
• Have you heard about the shooting?
• Is there something you would like to talk about regarding the shooting?
• What do you think about the shooting?