Moms Talk: Do You Feel Safe?

Each week the Mentor Patch Moms Council answers a question on parenthood posed to them by readers or another member of council.

After Chardon, I asked you "Do you worry about your kids' and grandkids' safety at school?"

Instead of asking you the same question again, I want to broaden the scope. This year, we have seen mass shootings at a high school, an elementary school, a Sikh temple and a movie theater.

Do these instances of mass murder make you feel less safe as a parent or grandparent? Have these incidences changed how your approach your child or grandchild's safety?

Melanie Majikas:

I am not a fearful parent.

I know that children are far more likely to be harmed by people who know them than by random strangers. But these incidents do strike fear in my heart, because they are just so unpredictable and are truly happening with greater frequency.

I don't think the answer is to perpetuate fear by suggesting that everyone should be armed, all the time, however.

Even though the murder rate in the U.S. is among the highest in the world, it is still a statistical rarity, and I'm not willing to alter my life because of what "might" happen.

Mary Jo Stack:

I think I always worry to some extent about my kids.

I have always felt one of the safest places my kids can be is at school. However, I do not believe that our teachers should be armed, we ask so much of them already.

I believe we need to pay more attention to the signs of trouble and take a closer look at our gun culture.