School drills can sometimes be a source of anxiety as they remind us it’s possible the world might be unsafe. The good news is, we know what kids can do at schools to keep themselves safe when a day goes from usual to unusual. You might feel unprepared to talk with your kids about school safety issues, but you’ve taught your kids about safety their entire life. You’ve taught them to look both ways before crossing the road, wear a seatbelt in the car, and to wear a helmet. You can empower your kids to practice safety even with big topics like lockdown drills, and we can help.
Step 1
Have a strengths-based approach to all the ways your kids practice safety. When you get in the car, praise them for putting on their seatbelt. Next time they cross the road or ride their bike, let them know how proud you are of them for being responsible and practicing safety. Ask them about different ways they practice safety every day and have some discussion around their answers.
Step 2
As you get closer to back-to-school time, ask your kids about the drills they practice. All schools should be doing emergency drills. If your kids haven’t been to school yet, discuss what they need to do if there were ever a fire at your house. This is a great opportunity to talk about professional helpers, like firefighters and police officers, who show up fast in an emergency. Empower your kids by inviting them to practice a home fire drill with you and celebrate their success after you do a practice.
Step 3
Set the tone. Kids will co-regulate with you; they will match your emotions. If you are relaxed, confident, and open to these topics, your kid(s) will sense it, and this will help them to feel calm and grounded in these discussions.
As you talk about safety, acknowledge your kids’ feelings and if they get stuck in an uncomfortable space, bring in a little redirection and humor. Help them shift by focusing on how good they are at practicing safety and remind them that helpers are always ready to jump into action.
This is also a great opportunity to set up a fun outing with your kids to visit your local fire or police departments. Schedule a time to see their emergency vehicles, get photos, and stickers! First responders love connecting with their communities and it’s great to introduce kids to helpers before they are in need. Remember, you can do this and so can your kids.
About the author:
A School Emergency Management Expert, Trauma Informed Practices Consultant, and former Reserve Law Enforcement Officer, Claire Marie has led efforts to support community and systems level trauma informed and resilience practices through education, implementation, and evaluation since 2015. Her work spans across K-12 school emergency preparedness & management, school safety & prevention systems, non-profits, community service agencies, and law enforcement mental health and wellness. Claire Marie often speaks at conferences including most recently the ISACS national conference, Joffe Emergency Services and the OAESD conference. She is passionate about approaching emergency preparedness and management through a trauma-informed lens and supporting schools to do the same. Working as a leader in K-12 school safety and emergency management, Claire Marie often hears about young kids and adults (parents and staff) struggling with lockdown drills. In her new book, Sammy the Sasquatch: Welcome to Crittertopia [Sammy & Friends, April 18, 2023] she hopes to support adults in lifting the veil of secrecy and silence around practicing lockdown drills by creating trauma-informed stories along with a magical world that safely introduce kids to different practices that empower them to keep safe, every day, regardless of what is going on in the world.