JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Vanessa Barnes is keeping her daughter - Kayla - close and squeezing her a little tighter Friday night during a basketball game in Clay County.
"Your children are never really safe basically so it just makes me want to hold mine a little closer each and every time I can," said Barnes.
Families gathered for the game with heavy hearts realizing that as they watched their loved ones step onto the court, families of 20 children from Sandy Hook Elementary school are grieving over the senseless loss of life.
"You can't just hug them enough ,and when you drop them off you ask yourself 'are they safe? Will they be safe? Who's looking out for them? What kind of security is there?' and just hug them ever minute from the time they get home," said Michael Wigg.
Parents say they'll maintain an open dialogue about the shooting and remind their children we can't live in fear.