“If there’s a shooter at my school, my friends and I are coming to your house!”
Alex, one of our incredible Team Kids leaders, recently told me this. I live across from his school, and previously showed him how to get into our house in an emergency. I imagined this emergency scenario to be an earthquake or his parents’ sudden inability to pick him up, not an active shooter on his campus. This is a very loved young man, who lives in and attends school in, one of the safest cities in America.
It breaks my heart that this plan is in the forefront of Alex’s mind. This fear can be crippling for all of us, but none more than for our children. Feeling safe is a key factor in learning and healthy development. Now with recent attacks, along with the massive LAUSD closing in the news, our children’s fears are intensified. We need to do everything we can to help our kids feel safe in a world that fear is trying to conquer.
The Team Kids Challenge surrounds elementary school students with Team Kids coaches, educators, parents, police officers and firefighters as mentors to support the children’s efforts in making a difference in their community. These kids are shown that there are caring adults in their community watching out for their well-being and that their schools are the place where compassion gets put into action.
Take time to let your children know about all the caring people in their school and community. This is perhaps one of the best things we can show our children right now. Because stealing our children’s sense of safety is undoubtedly one of the most serious threats to our great country.