language during an active shooter drill that a 3 year old will be present at

[Anonymous]

Note, this is for a church Sunday School type setting, not a school setting.

I am not opposed to a 3 year old participating in an emergency evaluation drill, similar to a fire drill. I am wondering whether it's developmentally appropriate to refer to the unlikely but possible scenario of a "bad guy" coming in.

There's a chance it'll all go over my 3 year old's head, but they are perceptive. Of course I hate that we live in a world where we have to do this stuff, but I'm not opposed to practicing the drill. I just wonder about whether saying "emergency" (like "this is what we do if there's an emergency and we need to leave or crouch down") is more developmentally appropriate than including a reference to a bad guy.

[Anonymous]

I don't think this is appropriate at all for Sunday School.

[Anonymous]

We don't have to do this stuff, it's not developmentally appropriate, and your child can opt out.

[Anonymous]

OP here, as I said I'm not opposed to practicing the drill. I'm more wondering about what language is appropriate. Unfortunately needing to do this type of thing is already pretty common at synagogues and other houses of worship can also be threatened as well. I hate having to think about this stuff.

[Anonymous]

I think if you’re going to do it at all, you need to make it a run and hide game or something like that. No “bad guys.”

[Anonymous]

Adding: before getting three year olds into “active shooter” drills, the facility needs to spend much more time and effort hardening itself against anyone getting within reach of them anyway.

[Anonymous]

Op here, I think it’s more of an evacuation drill. They might practice hiding but I’m not sure.

[Anonymous]

At my work, we had a bear intrusion as our scenario! I think at 3, it could be framed of if we need to be safe in an emergency. What language is used to teach 911 these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my work, we had a bear intrusion as our scenario! I think at 3, it could be framed of if we need to be safe in an emergency. What language is used to teach 911 these days?

Do kids this little even know how to use cell phones? I had to show my 7 year old daughter how to make an emergency call. 911 is meaningless if they don't know how to use an iPhone or cell phone. We dont' have a landline.

"Alexa call 911" ??

[Anonymous]

I know 3 and 5 are years apart developmentally but at 5 your kid will be in K and will practice shooter drills in real language.
It broke my heart when my 5yo showed me the drill in our kitchen, so matter of factly.
If I was in good situation I would use real language.

[Anonymous]

Above, in your situation

[Anonymous]

I have children in a daycare in a federal building that does quarterly active shooter drills. In my situation, the children (4 and under for me) are not told there is a shooter. They just hide around the room and turn the lights off. They also do frequent evacuation drills where they line up and walk down the block. At 3, I would ask what their opinions were of what happened.

The only time my oldest kid had questions is when police were running tactical drills outside their windows with large rifles. But this is very unique to where their daycare is located.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is appropriate at all for Sunday School.

I agree. At my church we do the drills with just the adult volunteers present.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know 3 and 5 are years apart developmentally but at 5 your kid will be in K and will practice shooter drills in real language.
It broke my heart when my 5yo showed me the drill in our kitchen, so matter of factly.
If I was in good situation I would use real language.

Our kindergarten does not use "active shooter language" - they just have a "hide" drill. My anxious ASD DC preferred it to loud fire drills, fwiw.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you're concerned, just keep your kid home that day