As I’ve attended author events, I realize I use tricks as I read my book to kids. These strategies help the kids and I connect, or help make the story less scary, or drive home a safety lesson.
I’d love to share these tips with you! They’ll help you get the most from your purchase and your time reading this book! Let’s jump in…
1 First I recommend you read the book in its entirety before sitting down to read it with your child. Start with the foreword by the creator of the FBI’s active shooter program, Katherine Schweit, and read all the way through the “Further Discussion” page at the back. This will give you a clear understanding of where you are headed and remove any surprises for you. You’ll stay calmer for your child.
Also, you may decide to ask some of the questions highlighted in the “Further Discussion” section as you read the book.
2. Turning to the pages to where the family first begins role playing, I like to point out the many brilliant nuggets from my illustrator, Melanie Bess. First, did your kids notice Dad is helping Willa dress up like a teacher? What are they using to complete the look? (Look at the previous pages to see if you can identify what Willa has borrowed and from whom.)
Next, I like to ask kids what they notice about Mom. “Is her stomach kind of big?” Yup, Willa’s mom is growing a baby! Huge shout out to Melanie for this! What a smart way to make “bad guy” mom less scary. (Who’s scared of a round-ish pregnant woman? ;) Plus many kids find this subplot interesting, especially if they too have experienced their mom being pregnant.
Finally, be sure your kids notice the adorable pup who is a little nervous!
3. On the next page, we find Willa stacking chairs to block the door. I ask, “where is dad?” We don’t see him on this page because he is hiding under the counter. Willa is stacking the chairs because she is pretending to be the teacher. In a lockdown at school, a teacher will lock the door while your child hides like Dad.
It is fun to notice how the pup is helping here. Where has he placed his toys?
4. The following page is our first fully illustrated page. We see a classic lockdown in a classroom. The teacher is turning off the lights and the kids are gathered quietly in a corner. This page gives you and your child a visual to spark your organic conversation. It can start out with logistics (“yes! I did that!”) and perhaps it will move to the emotions behind these drills (“how did you feel as you did that?”).
If your child has already done a lockdown drill, this page may be familiar to them. It is an excellent opportunity for you to ask your child what their lockdown drill looked like. Did their teacher turn off the lights like the one in this book? Where did your child go? Were they with their friends?
Noteworthy or simple, I hope this page helps you have the conversation that your child needs at this moment.
5. Skipping ahead to our next fully illustrated page, we find Willa leading some friends out of the school towards a neighborhood. This page sparks discussion around the question, “what if I get locked in the hallway?” That question is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for adults to answer. In writing this book, I was determined to help us do better.
Willa and her friends are leaving the school entirely! This can make some administrators nervous but Katherine Schweit (mentioned above) regularly encourages us to shift our thinking about this. If there is a real threat in your child’s school, and they are locked in the hallway, their chances of safety are likely better outside the building. This was one question I asked Kate specifically and she clarified her recommendation over email. Katherine often says, “you can’t get shot if you aren’t there.”
On this page I like to ask kids where they think Willa and her friends will go after they get out of the school. The homes across the street are likely a good option. And of course, if they see any police officers (who in a real emergency will be rushing to the school) they should connect with them. Many parents tell their kids to look for “moms” or someone else caring for small kids.
On this page I also like to talk about how fast these kids are moving. They are not just walking fast, or jogging. They are speedy! I say, “running in the hallways! Is that allowed in your school?!” This is a great opportunity for you to explain to your kids that their safety is more important than rules. If breaking a rule keeps them safe, they should break it! You won’t be mad because nothing is more important to you than their safety.
6. This next page is a treat because we get to experience Willa’s adorable bedroom that Melanie brought to life! I enjoy asking kids what they notice about this bedroom. Also, I totally want to grab a book and sink into that snuggly hug-of-a-chair!
7. After the page of Willa’s bedroom we come upon our last fully illustrated page. We see two kids “hiding” in a Teacher Work Room. This page is meant to revisit and build upon one truth we’ve brought up before: your kid’s safety is more important than rules.
I like to pause and ask my kids what they see in this picture. (Boxes, filing cabinets, rolls of paper, etc) I ask, “does your school have a room like this? Have you been in it? Why or why not?”
We discuss what rooms are off limits to students at school and why. I tell them that in an emergency, those rooms are “on limits” for them. It is totally ok to use the principal's office, the teachers lounge, a supply closet, or even the bathroom of the opposite sex in an emergency. Why? (Say it with me…) Because their safety is more important than rules.
I often extrapolate this message outside of school too. I ask kids where else they regularly go (various stores, church, gym daycare, etc) and we discuss “off limit” places including emergency exits.
7. Next up we see “bad-guy” mom searching for Willa and Dad. Kids are always delighted to notice the pup is pretending to be a stuffed animal!
8. As we read the final pages of the book, filled with reassuring hugs from Mom and Dad, I always reassure the kids I’m reading to. Some ideas:
“Thinking about emergencies can be scary. It’s ok if you feel nervous. And don’t forget you are not in this alone! You have [list supportive family members] and you can always talk to us. Also, [list teachers and principal] are really good at their jobs which include keeping you safe.”
“I am always thinking about your safety when I make decisions. I will never send you somewhere that I think is dangerous.”
“Emergencies are really rare and I don’t think one will happen near us. However, we like to be prepared for all emergencies, just in case. For example, I have a fire extinguisher under the kitchen sink even though I make dinner every night and our stove doesn’t catch on fire. But if it ever does, I’m prepared.” (Other examples are wearing seatbelts, smoke detectors, spare tires, other types of drills, safety training on airplanes, etc.)
I hope this helps your experience reading my book become even more beneficial! I love hearing from readers so please reach out if I can help or if you just have something cool to tell me!
Until next time!
Em
If you found this post helpful you may also like my blog post with Ten Steps for Talking to Your Kid About Lockdown Drills.
I love this! Before this was written/posted I did a few of these things (read it first, knew to reiterate it was okay to break rules for safety), but the others hadn’t crossed my mind, like pointing out the puppy or moms pregnancy.
This definitively helps me get the most out of your book and the message in it.