As the harrowing events of the Uvalde mass shooting unfolded last week, early childhood educators and childcare providers all over the country are placed in a precarious position, walking a fine line between discussing the events that led to the deaths of 21 people including 19 children and 2 teachers to preparing and practicing active shooter drills.

While it may be a sensitive topic, a deft handling of the subject can lead children to feel safe without being traumatized about the gravity of the active shooter drills.

Review your active shooter drill procedure.

Go back to your manual and operating guidelines to refresh your memory on what your center or daycare planned in case of an active shooter crisis. This is the best time to update your guideline if there has been a change in the layout of your center.

Identify safe spaces and possible exit points for the children.

Along with updating your active shooter drill procedure, identify safe spaces in your room and other spaces. Doing this beforehand reduces uncertainty, fear, and panic especially when you and your children’s lives are at risk.

Practice the drill with children.

In times of emergency and crisis, muscle memory is a key factor in fight-or-flight situations. This is why practicing active shooter drills can help young children keep calm and immediately put into action what they’ve practiced. While it is a pity young children need to be subjected to these active shooter drills, it helps them keep safe and prepared in times of active crisis where quick reactions and actions can mean the difference between life and death.

Answer their questions as factually and age-appropriate as possible.

Young children may not fully understand these unfortunate mass shooting events but they will still get an inkling that other children have passed away. Given their natural curiosity, young children will have questions as to what or how it happened. As you answer their questions about the event, keep it factual, serious, and age-appropriate. It might mean keeping some gruesome details.

Emphasize that you and other teachers and adults are doing what they can to keep them safe.

Aside from answering their questions as truthfully and age-appropriate as you can, the most important thing is that the children understand that the adults are doing what they can to make them safe in their center or daycare. Let them know adults are doing what they can to ensure the center they are in remains to be a safe space overall.

As lawmakers struggle to reach consensus on which laws to pass in order for young children to be safe again in their schools and classrooms, early childhood educators and childcare providers must do what they can in order to protect and keep the children in their charge safe.