With the pain, shock, and terrible sadness we all feel regarding the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, we are reaching out in response to requests for advice as to how to talk to our children.
Parents need to know that our schools are safe places for their children. The need to know the security that are in place, and they need to know how to help support their children during this difficult time.
This is surely a time to connect to the tenderness and love that we have for the precious people in our lives and to create a safe, calm environment for them to express any fear, loss, or anxiety.
Counselors recommend limiting children’s exposure to media coverage of the events during this time, and to supporting children of all ages if they want to talk. Drawing pictures is a way for less verbal or younger children to express their feelings.
There are a number of resources that offer guidance. This list is from the National Association of Independent Schools (www.nais.org).
Resources to Help Children Cope with Tragedy
• The National Association of School Psychologists — A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope
• American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry – Children and Grief
• Massachusetts General Hospital for Children — Talking to Children About a Shooting
• Child Mind Institute – Caring For Kids After A School Shooting
K.T. Korngold, is CEO, Center for Montessori Education and Center for Montessori Teacher Education, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. 948-2501. www.cmteny.com.
