Ohio school shooting.

I have been watching the news the past couple of days concerning the school shooting in Ohio with sadness and fear.  When I watch the news, sometimes I forget my kids are old enough to watch it too, and understand a lot of what they see.  Last night Annie reminded me.

She was standing in the living room with Russell and me after dinner, trying to plan for the rest of the evening when the story came on.  I could see her reaction brewing on her face, and my heart started racing because of her fear.

She asked me if that could ever happen in Wabash.  Now, I am not in the habit of scaring my kids to prove a point.  I think there other ways to teach them about the problems and horrors the world could throw at them, and still keep them safely informed.  Last night, I am pretty sure I scared her.

I told her (and her dad told her too) that something like that has a small chance of happening in our mostly quiet little town, but there was no promise it wouldn't.  We told her to always keep her phone on her, which she said she did anyway, and if someone ever started threatening the class and she had no where to run, to hide.  We explained that in this case, hiding was her best option to stay alive and unharmed.  We told her to pick a good spot, quickly, out of the line of sight of the aggressor, and to stay as quiet as possible while calling 911.  She agreed, and really took us seriously.

After she left the room, I really started to feel horrible for having scared her that way.  Russ and I talked about it, and he made me understand that it was a necessary evil.  At the time, I accepted it and went about my business. Today, though, I don't want to accept it.  It sickens me to think I have to worry about my kid being shot and killed at school. 

I understand that the people who commit these crimes are usually pushed to a point of no return by a bad home life, or a mental imbalance.  Sometimes, and this might be one of those cases, it is due to bullying. 

Parents, I really think we need to take responsibility for this bullying epidemic.  No one wants to admit their kid isn't fitting in anywhere and is the target of being bullied anymore than we want to admit our kid is a bully, but with our kids we have to put our pride on the back burner.  We need to remind our kids to come to us when someone is treating them in ways they don't approve of, and to take action when no on else will. 

We also need to humble ourselves and properly discipline or get help for kids who are harming others.  Kids don't bully just for the joy of doing it, they do it because something isn't right in their lives.  It is our job to fix it.

I don't want this to come across as blaming anyone for the Ohio shooting.  Sometimes, these things just can't be stopped before they spiral out of control.  I sincerely send my thoughts, prayers, and well wishes to everyone there while they try to heal from this tragedy.  Honestly, I hope this is the last time we ever have to hear about something like this, and the advice I had to give my daughter goes unused and forgotten long after her grandchildren have children.  I just think we, as parents need to talk with our kids about this and try and make them understand the importance of preparedness. 

We also need to remind them that it is not OK for anyone, anytime, anywhere, to treat them like they are less than a person.  No one should harm them with words or with physical violence.  The kids need to start at the school, and try to fix the situation by telling a trusted adult.  If there is no one willing to help them, they need to tell us so we can do whatever it takes to get it stopped, and repair the damage before it's too late. 

Again, my thoughts and prayers got out to all those in Ohio today.