Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. —Deuteronomy 31:6, KJV

You can’t live in continuous fear that something will happen to your children while they are at school. Easier said than done with all the crazy things that are going on in schools these days. Somehow, you have to reach inside yourself, and know that God is with you and He is watching over your loved ones. How do you keep your children safe while they are at school? There are certain steps that you can take to help ensure their safety.

If you are a stay-at-home mom, you can volunteer or substitute-teach at your child’s school. This will help you get to know the teachers better and learn about their daily routine. You also need to introduce yourself to the principal and make sure he or she knows who your child is. By being a constant presence at your child’s school you will see firsthand how your child behaves and what goes on from day to day. It will be reassuring to your child and to you to know that you are only a stone’s throw away from your children in case of emergency.

If your child takes the bus, get to know the bus driver. Introduce yourself and make sure he or she knows exactly where you live, not just where the bus stop is. If there is some kind of crisis, you want him or her to know exactly how to find you.

Make sure your child either has your phone number memorized or has it on a piece of paper somewhere on his or her person. Nowadays, your child may have a cellphone with your number programmed into speed dial, but if there is no cell phone available, they need to know how to contact you.

Every now and then do something nice for the office staff. Make some cupcakes or some homemade bread and bring it to them as a thank you for all the service they do for the school. They will remember you and your child fondly. If there is ever a problem, you will be the one that they remember. It is important to be a presence in your child’s school.

Find out what the emergency procedures are in your child’s ISD and talk to your child about emergency situations that could come up. Be careful not to scare them, but gently explain what they should do in case of an intruder, fire or weather emergency. Ask them what they know about procedures and what kind of practice they have done at school, and then fill in the blanks for what they don’t know. Don’t badger them about it, but make sure they are informed. Knowledge is power.

Pray for your children every morning before you all disperse into your own directions. It is important to call upon the Lord for strength and safety. Pray together as a family for each other. Not only will it bring you closer together but it will fill you all with a certain amount of comfort, knowing that the Holy Spirit is working in your family. All who call upon the Lord will find Him near.

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. —Psalms 145:18, KJV

Finally, remember that God is always with your children. He goes to school with them and spends the whole day with His hands on their shoulders. Stay strong in your faith and never let your children see any fear in your eyes when you send them off to school. Grace and peace should be in your spirit and should be visible to your kiddos, so they too will remain courageous and confident.