School safety has always been a concern, but recent decades have seen way too many school shootings. Furthermore, bullying has become an even bigger problem in schools, and then you have drugs and other threats as well. Just how do you make sure your kids are safe in school? School authorities will certainly be taking measures to ensure safety of students, but what can you do as a parent?
As a parent, you’re not going to be there with your child during school hours. Given all the threats to students mentioned in the previous paragraph, some parents have chosen to home school their kids. While that decision is perfectly fine, choosing to keep your kids in school with their peers is more ideal if you can make it work. There are private schools of course. If you choose to keep your child in a public school, then you should know a few things about helping them to stay safe.
How old is your child? If this is a first time thing, meaning your kid is just starting out in school, then many things are going through your head. You need to be sure that your child has all the necessary contact information memorized, meaning his address, your phone number, etc. This will come in handy, help keep him or her safe and give both of you peace of mind.
While it was mentioned that you couldn’t be at the school with your child during all hours, that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved somehow. What can you volunteer to do? Make sure you’re involved in his or he extracurricular activities, and it would be a good idea to be a voice at the PTA meetings. Also, don’t forget to meet with your child’s teachers and ask questions. You want to know what’s going on at school and how your child is doing.
Every child gives the short answer for the most part if you ask how his or her day was at school. Don’t get sheepish about asking or prodding for details. You want to know how things are going, not just to hear the good stuff but to make sure there aren’t any situations you need to know about. Make sure your child also knows about bus safety, strangers and how to deal with bullies. One good way to teach your child about school situations is to role play with your child, too. Make sure he or she feels comfortable and safe at school, and always address any problems or concerns immediately.
