How To Prepare Your Child To Be Safe At School

How can I prepare my child to be safe at school?

Talk with your child directly and openly, as age appropriate. Make sure that they understand your expectations. Often, children who are victimized at school are out of place. They're truant, or they are not where they are supposed to be. Sometimes they are victimized by a poor choice of friends, joining a gang - that type of thing. For example, if there was a fight, your child should know that they need to leave that area. It's very dangerous to stand by and watch a fight at a school. It's an easy way to get hurt, and it's a good way to get into trouble with school authorities. You have got to help your child develop good judgment, because unfortunately many youth today don't understand, because parents haven't had that type of open discussion. Make sure that you go over your school's policies with your child, and make sure that they know what your expectations are. If they know someone has a gun, or is being severely bullied, or is talking about committing suicide, give them instruction, as what you would expect. For example, you may want to tell them to go to a school resource officer, police liaison officer, or school official, if any of those things come up. They should then know that they should not tell anyone about that, but you and those school officials. They should never tell another student. For example, if they reported someone with a gun, it's dangerous not to report it, but to report it and tell ten of your friends is not exactly a very safe thing to do either. You shouldn't presume children understand that. We need to talk to our children about these types of situations, and have that open dialogue with them. Finally, let them know that you are open to listen to them, and to help them if they ever have any kind of safety concern at school.