KALAMAZOO, Mich. — It has been less than six months since the last mass school shooting, claiming the lives of four in Oxford on the east side of the state.
On Tuesday, at least 21 died in a shooting at a Texas elementary school.
Many parents are on edge, not knowing how to deal with the sadness of supporting their children through this news.
"This is the very difficult, painful moment in our history, and not just today and yesterday and going back to Oxford, but it's been a long term over the last several years," said WMU Children's Trauma Assessment Center Director Dr. James Henry.
The shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas took at least 21 lives.
"It’s that sense of school has always been a safe place. Those things didn’t happen. Now, the question that most kids have is ‘Can you guarantee I’m safe here at school?’," said Dr. Henry.
Parents are having to tell their children that there is no guarantee.
Dr. James Henry is the director at Western Michigan University Children's Trauma Awareness Center said that's the message.
He said he has been working in Oxford since their school shooting last year and knows all too well the feelings experienced following the traumatic event.
"They can't think well, they're very hyper vigilant, they're always looking for danger, and their ability to focus on schoolwork changes. They tend to isolate or withdraw, and so even though it isn't happening in your home, those outside horrific experiences can affect how your child sees the world and how they see themselves," Dr. Henry.
And so how do you talk to your kids about it?
"One is to be honest. Two is to appreciate that this is very sad, and it also creates fear, so that as a parent, you're naming some emotions for your kids, and that that's normal," Dr. Henry.
Dr. Henry said it's important to also show your child love, ensuring them their school is doing everything they can to keep them safe and you are too.
"Be there with your child, be present, be patient, give them the support, and provide them with that care, and then if you see them not sleeping, if you see them being unable to focus to concentrate, if you see them withdrawing, those are signs signals that say, well, maybe we need professional help," said Dr. Henry.
