Children under ages 5 or 6 need clear reassurance that their world is safe, without details about a situation they cannot understand.  A more detailed response is helpful with adolescents.  More difficult ages are 6 to 11, when children are old enough to prevent shielding them from the details of a tragedy, yet not old enough to understand the details.  Give them clear, simple explanations, always keeping in mind the underlying context of reassuring them that their world is safe.

When parents are anxious, children pick up on those feelings and personalize it. It’s important for parents to share their anxieties with other adults, their spouse, friends, etc., and protect children from it to some degree.

The way kids handle this very much depends on how their parents handle it. If they believe their parents feel the world is out of control, it’s much scarier. So it’s critically important to give their children a sense of security.

Experts at Cornell University said “that in cases where schools have done investigations of student threats and found them to be serious," they have prevented many shootings. Parents should demand that schools and colleges develop plans on how they assess students and deal with safety issues.

Ellis said “It is important to encourage your children to tell you if they are ever afraid at school.  Schools should have an anonymous “It’s Okay To Tell” phone hotline where students can call in concerns about classmates who may a gun or who seem troubled or severely depressed. Kids should know that it’s okay to tell …it’s not tattling.”

No one can guarantee that tragedies won’t ever happen again, but with parenting communication and better mental health triaging at schools, our children must feel safe.

 

 

About Love Our Children USA

In its eighth year, Love Our Children USA is the leading national nonprofit headquartered in New York City that honors, respects and protects children. Its mission is to break the cycle of violence against children. Love Our Children USA has become the go-to prevention organization for all forms of violence and neglect against children in the U.S.  It works to eliminate behaviors that keep children from reaching their potential. It redefines parenting by promoting prevention strategies and positive changes in parenting and family attitudes and behaviors through public education. It works to empower and support children, teens, parents and families through information, resources, advocacy, and online youth mentoring. Its goal is to keep children safe and strengthen families -- Its message is positive ... one of prevention and hope.