Obsessed over school shootings

Hi.  Are you still having issues with this obsession? 

My son was very young when the Oklahoma City bombing happened.  I couldn't help but hug him every time he walked into the room.  I couldn't pull myself away from the television coverage.  Then one morning I dropped my son off at school and heard that a plane had hit the twin towers.  When I heard that a second plane had hit the towers, I instantly knew the United States was under attack and I freaked out.  I was in my car in the lane to get on the bridge that would take me home and I couldn't get out of that lane.  I had to cross that bridge in order to turn around to go back and get my son.  In that time I was thinking about sorts of things.  I lived close to a chemical plant that could be a bombing target.  I knew that when I bought that house.  Directly across the river from my house was the airport, New Orleans International Airport.  I was sure that would be a target and I also lived by the rail lines where they would line up the military vehicles that were being taken across country to be put on ships  to go off to war.  Surely that would be a target.  I decided he was safer at school and went home.  I called my mother to tell her that our country was under attack and yet the news was not reporting that yet but I knew.  I'm a military brat and I knew.  Once again I found myself fixated on the coverage of the event. 

I do it every time something happens.  I'm up watching Anderson Cooper 360.  I think that for some of us it is our nature to look on at something horrific for various reasons. 

As much as we want to, we can't keep our children safe all the time.  We shouldn't keep them safe all the time.  They have to fall and scrape their knees and little burn teaches a valuable lesson.  That is why we have to let them out of our sight as well.  They have to learn to be independent of us.  They have to become their own autonomous people.  It's a killer for us but as parents that is our job/duty.  Homeschooling is fine but not if it is done to isolate your child.  That isn't healthy for your child. 

You stop obsessing by telling yourself your child is exactly as safe as she ever was and possibly even safer now.  It is okay to let her know that not everyone in this world is a good person.  In fact, it may be vital for children to know that some people are really bad and need to be avoided or tattled on. 

I hope you have been able to calm down.