It’s hard for adults to process headline-making tragedies and how they came to be, but it can be even harder for children, particularly when a place they might consider safe, like school, is involved. We’ve collected some resources for talking with children about collective traumas and high-profile acts of violence below. While many are focused on violence and school shootings, their general advice may be applicable for any intense or scary news story like wars or disasters.
- Assisting Parents and Caregivers in Coping With Collective Traumas – National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Helping Children Cope With Tragedy-Related Anxiety – Mental Health America
- Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers – National Association of School Psychologists
- Talking to Children About High-Profile Acts of Violence – Childhood Resilience (includes resources in Spanish)
- Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after Mass Violence – National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings – Common Sense Media (includes a guide to appropriate conversations by age)
- What to say to kids about school shootings to ease their stress – NPR
Know of other resources? Please email info@chicagocac.org.