Summer is winding down and soon the new school year will begin. The world has changed, and blindly dropping off your precious children and entrusting their safety to others may be something to re-consider, especially if your kids are younger. The days of dropping them off without a second thought are gone so here are seven things you can do to keep them safer and give yourself some peace of mind.
1. Know the school’s security plan — don’t assume it. Ask about locked-door policies, visitor check-in, and lockdown drills. If they can’t answer clearly, that means they don’t have a plan or haven’t prioritized sufficiently training their staff.
2. Walk the route with your child. Whether it’s a bus stop or a drop-off lane, walk it with your child and see that part of the world from their perspective. Look for potential dangers, like the ability for predators to have un-authorized access to your child, escape routes if your child has to run to safety, and any other hazards that are a concern.
3. Teach situational awareness, not fear. We don’t want our kids fearful or paranoid, and we don’t want them naieve — we want them aware and present. Eyes up, phones down, know their exits and safe places. That’s something learned through awareness and discipline.
4. Know who their friends are. My kids are under 12 so we choose their friends because I am a much better judge of character than any child is. Know who their friends are, and know them well. Know their parents and siblings as well. Kids in school are subject to tremendous peer pressure to go places that may not be safe and do things that could put them at risk. The more involved you are in their lives and the lives of their friends, the more influence you can have on them and their friends. You may not feel it’s your responsibility to raise someone elses kids but if your influence on your children’s friends keep your kids safer, then it’s a good investment. It’s also God’s work to be a positive role model for your kids and their friends. Teach your children to communicate with you about what goes on at school and with their friends and create an environment and relationship where they feel comfortable talking to you about it.
5. Get trained yourself. If you feel comfortable owning and carrying a firearm, it is your right to do so. Make sure you are comfortable and confident with that firearm so you operate it safely and proficiently. Get instruction and practice regularly. No good person ever wants to have to use one but having the ability to defend your life or the lives of those you love may become the only option so its best to be trained and ready if that ever happens.
6. Build relationships. Know the teachers, the front office, the resource officer by name. Protection starts with presence, not just preparation.
7. Cover them in prayer daily. Psalm 91 provides powerful instruction, and promises, and we must take full responsibility for protecting our children spiritually. We have authority over them spiritually and we plead the blood of Jesus over our kids every single day. Never send them out unprotected spiritually. Send your kids out covered.
Your child’s safety is ultimately your responsibility. Don’t expect the school to do the job of keeping your children safe with the same care and concern that you would.
