In light of the recent publicized shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, the movie theatre shooting in Colorado and reminders of the school shootings at Columbine High School in Aurora, Colorado, Virginia Tech and a Paducah, Kentucky high school. These are no longer isolated incidents. There are school shootings all across the United States. These are serious threats to the safety of our children.
Violence surrounds us. It is in the news, on the internet, in movies and television programs, in music and video games. Since we are surrounded by violence, we tend to become desensitized to the effects. Violence becomes more acceptable and we become less aware that violence is wrong.
Open the lines of communication with your son or daughter.
Mental Health America offers the following suggestions:
- Encourage children to talk about their concerns and to express their feelings. Some children may be hesitant to initiate such conversation, so you may want to prompt them by asking if they feel safe at school, in their neighborhood, or in public places.
- Validate the child’s feelings. Do not minimize a child’s concerns.
- Talk honestly about your own feelings regarding violence. It is important for children to recognize they are not dealing with their fears alone. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know.” Part of keeping discussion open is not being afraid to say you don’t know how to answer a child’s question.
- Create safety plans with your child. Help identify which adults (a friendly secretary, trusted neighbor or security guard) your child can talk to if they should feel threatened. Also ensure that your child knows how to reach you (or another family member or friend) in case of crisis. Remind your child that they can talk to you anytime they feel threatened.
- Recognize behavior that may indicate your child is concerned about their safety. Teens and adolescents may minimize their concerns outwardly, but may become argumentative, withdrawn, or allow their school performance to decline.
- Empower children to take action regarding their safety. Encourage them to report specific incidents (such as bullying, threats or talk of suicide) and to develop problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
- Keep the dialogue going and make safety a common topic in family discussions rather than just a response to an immediate crisis. Open dialogue will encourage children to share their concerns.
- Seek help when necessary. If you are worried about a child’s reaction or have ongoing concerns about his/her behavior or emotions, contact your pediatrician or a mental health professional at school or at your community mental health center.
If you are seeing increased anxiety, depression or aggression in your teenage son, contact Triumph Youth Services for information on how we can help. Triumph Youth Services offers individual, group and family therapy in a structured, family-like setting.
Reference:
Copyright Mental Health America, http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/index.cfm?objectid=CA866E3C-1372-4D20-C81985970CB4F55A
