Which school shooting will be the last straw? Our kids deserve better than this

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping,'" he wrote.

Here's the thing: The helpers are falling down on the job.

Let me be clear: I'm not talking about the amazing teachers and school staffers, who put their lives on the line to protect their students. I'm definitely not talking about the police and emergency responders, who rush to the scene to help, saving lives and apprehending suspects. And I'm not talking about the doctors, who are working now to save young lives, or the community, who cover the grieving in love and support.

I'm talking about another set of people who could help us prevent these tragedies from unfolding - our leaders.

When will it be enough for them to take serious action for change?

Which one of these school shootings will be the last straw?

Don't our kids deserve better than this?

I posed these questions on Go Ask Mom's Facebook page today.

"It will be enough when enough people say enough. And vote out politicians based on this issue," wrote one person. "It will not be easy. But it must happen."

"Stop voting for Republicans!" wrote another.

"It’s always about Republicans. You have got to love the liberals outlook. How about having armed security at all schools instead of gun free zones? Look at Chicago and tell me how that’s working out for everyone. If you ban “guns” people will always find something else. Let’s be real people," wrote a third.

"I fear that if the slaughter of 20 first graders wasn’t enough......we’ll never get there," wrote another.

"I’m terrified for my young kids to even go to school. They’re shooting up all grades. We shouldn’t have to fear our kids going to school. There’s enough going on in this world to worry about. We need to hire more police/security people and have some at the schools. Maybe that will either solve this problem or help control it instead of having to wait several minutes for units to get there. Better doors for schools or exit points in all classrooms where they can get out easily and safely. Just SOMETHING! I’d much rather see my tax money or out of pocket go to making schools safer!" wrote another mom.

They echo the sentiments of many Americans, who are frustrated and tired and scared. There are all kinds of solutions out there that have been bandied about - gun control, mental health reform, more armed citizens and guards in schools and public places, better school safety protocols. Some proposed solutions sound crazy to me. Others seem plausible. But, at this point, I'm up for anything.

Leaders: With an open mind, look at the facts behind every proposal and DO SOMETHING.

Now, I'm not naive enough to say that we'll ever fix this. There will always be violence and tragedy in this world. But I'm hopeful enough to believe that there are solutions out there that will reduce the number of school shootings in this country and save lives.

We ask kids at recess to share and compromise when they want to play soccer, but everybody else wants to play basketball. (We also ask them to know all of the escape routes from the playground in case a shooter takes aim. That's an actual conversation my kids have had with their teachers over the years.)

It's time for the adults to do what we expect the kids to do - share, compromise and find common ground. If now isn't the time to take action, when will it be? When a school shooting has touched the lives of every single one of us?

Hey, leaders of all parties and beliefs: I know that's going to be hard work. It'll mean lots of meetings and research and studies and maybe losing some support from voters or contributors.

But you know what's so much harder than that?

Learning that your child was shot dead at school.

Running past your dead classmates after spending the most terrifying minutes of your life, huddled in a corner or closet.

Surviving a school shooting, but knowing your best friend didn't.

She now is homeschooled and uses stickers to cover up words like gun, fire, blood and kill in "Little House on the Prairie," according to The Washington Post. She thinks about the 14-year-old shooter, Jesse Osborne, often.

"She remembers him as a towering and terrifying figure, and he often appears in her nightmares. She sometimes repeats what she heard him say on the playground — 'I hate my life' — and once, after Ava accidentally pushed her brother and he hit his head on a stone well, she blurted: 'I’m just like Jesse,'" the story says.

That's hard.

Adults, get it together.