Sunbeam Family Services Gives Advice On Discussing School Threats At Home

Oklahoma City Police say there have been 65 school threats in the Oklahoma City metro area since the beginning of the school year, and 33 of those occurred just within the past week. 

“School threats can instill a ton of anxiety in both parents and kiddos,” said Shayla Winrow, a clinical supervisor of infant and childhood mental health services at Sunbeam Family Services. 

We sat down with a mental health professional to discuss the best ways for parents to discuss the emotions surrounding these threats at home. 

“It can seem very scary to have this kind of conversation with a kiddo,” said Winrow. "Sitting down with your child and just opening up - hey do you have any questions about what you're hearing and seeing, maybe on the news or at school is a big first step to having those conversations.” 

She explains the fear and anxiety stemming from these situations can be presented in a lot of different ways, acknowledging it can be difficult to see the signs or have the conversations at home. She says one of the biggest things you can do is stay calm and keep an open line of communication. 

“There are a lot of different emotions that pop up around this, there could be anger or frustration or even sadness that pop up around these topics,” said Winrow. 

She also says it is important to have age-appropriate conversations and to validate whatever your child may be feeling. 

“We don't want to lie to our kids and say things like this will never happen, we just do want to validate their fears though,” said Winrow. 

Her message to all parents is: you are not alone in this, and there are professionals like Winrow who are ready and willing to help. 

"A therapist can only help to provide that hope and support that you may not be feeling anywhere else,” said Winrow. 

For more information on Sunbeam Family Services, CLICK HERE.