How to help parents and students cope with school shooting threats

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- September saw several Valley schools dealing with school shooting threats.

That included campuses in Visalia, Fresno, Selma and Strathmore.

And the threats of violence can be overwhelming.

"The details and the nuances of these kinds of events are so potent with social media, and how news can be instantly transmitted," Dr. Jason Christopherson said.

That can trigger feelings of anxiety and stress for student and their parents.

Dr. Jason Christopherson, the Clinical Director at Ascend, explains that everyone has different kinds of reactions, to help them cope with these tense situations.

"When things like this happen, some children will respond with humor and jokes about it, then not realize their peers are reacting and responding to that with a lot of fear and trepidation," Dr. Christopherson said.

Parents should look out for any physical signs of stress that can appear.

"If kids are expressing they're having headaches, they're having stomach aches, these diffused biological or physical symptoms then that might be an indication that they might be under a lot of stress or anxiety that they're having a hard time managing," Dr. Christopherson said.

Dr. Christopherson tells Action News that adults need to foster relationships with kids to maintain a culture of open dialogue.

"If a child feels like they can always just go towards a principal, no matter what the reason, then they're going to go to that person when they see something that freaks them out or worries," Dr. Christopherson said.

Dr. Christopherson adds that validating how your child is feeling and actively listening is one of the best ways to help them cope.

Encouraging kids to put their phones down and take a break from social media is also essential.

"Not having electronic devices in the bedroom or behind closed doors or privates spaces can be really important because we don't know what they're consuming in that kind of framework," Dr. Christopherson said.

As for parents who might feel uneasiness because of the school threats, Dr. Christopherson has this recommendation:

"Definitely talking to people, getting your friends involved, having a little bit of a village and a network," Dr. Christopherson said.

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