When children have questions about violence, many adults have questions about how to help children cope with the tragedy. Some adults may wonder how much information children should be exposed to, or what to say to their children about their safety. Others may look for ideas on what to say when children ask why this tragedy happened or how they can help people who have been affected.
Organizations around the country have pulled together their resources to provide some guidance and many of these organizations are publishing materials in multiple languages. Here are some tips for getting started, as well as additional recommended resources. The original article is also available as a PDF in English and Spanish. This resource was originally published following the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newton, CT.
Note: Many of these suggestions originally appeared in Fred Rogers Talks About Tragic Events in the News.
Talking with Children About Tragedy in the News
- First, find out what your child or student knows about the event. Even if you haven't yet discussed it together, the child may have heard the news from media sources or classmates. The child's perception of what has happened may be very different from the reality.
- Assure the child that it is ok to talk about sad or scary events. It is also ok to admit to feeling sad, scared, or angry and to acknowledge that you are having those feelings too. In an interview with Good Morning America, expert Willow Bay advises, "Establish that there is no question too scary for your child to talk about." Likewise, Mr. Rogers writes, "If we don't let children know it's okay to feel sad and scared, they may think something is wrong with them when they do feel that way."
- Encourage questions, both now and in the future. David Schonfeld, MD, writes, "Like adults, children are better able to cope with a crisis if they feel they understand it. Question-and-answer exchanges provide you with the opportunity to offer support as your child begins to understand the crisis and the response to it."
- Reassure the child that many people are working to keep them safe. When a child has questions such as, "Why did this happen?" or "Am I safe?", Ms. Bay encourages parents to talk about the many people who work every day to keep kids safe.
- In sharing information, be honest, but be mindful of the child's age. The National Association of School Psychologists offers these helpful guidelines in its tips for talking with children about violence (available in multiple languages below). Examples related to school shootings are included with the tips:
- Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them. Give simple examples of school safety like reminding children about exterior doors being locked, child monitoring efforts on the playground, and emergency drills practiced during the school day.
- Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. Some students may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to provide safe schools.
- Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. Emphasize the role that students have in maintaining safe schools by following school safety guidelines (e.g. not providing building access to strangers, reporting strangers on campus, reporting threats to the school safety made by students or community members, etc.), communicating any personal safety issues to school administrators, and accessing support for emotional needs.
- Remember that it is ok to admit that you don't have all of the answers. Mr. Rogers offers the following: "If the answer is 'I don't know,' then the simplest reply might be something like, 'I'm sad about the news, and I'm worried. But I love you, and I'm here to care for you.'"
- Be patient. If the child doesn't have much to say yet, give him some time and let him know he can come back with more questions or to talk about the events when he is ready. If he shows signs of depression and anxiety over time, speak with the child's pediatrician or a school counselor for guidance.
Other important steps
- Turn off the news. Media images can add to the trauma of a tragedy, particularly for young children. Images on the television, in video, and on the Internet can be confusing and disorienting as dramatic images are repeated over and over again. Mr. Rogers notes that "Someone who has died turns up alive and then dies again and again," while Dr. Elaine Ducharme explains that this can lead children to believe that the tragedy has happened many times. In addition, the live coverage and the closeness of the TV images can add to the sense of danger. If the child does see these images, help her understand that she is far away from where the news has happened.
- Look for "kid-friendly" sources of information. These might include children's books, magazines and websites for children who want to learn more. Websites about current events for kids are listed below.
- Encourage the child to express feelings and ideas through familiar activities. Professor Bonnie Rubenstein recommends writing, painting, and singing. Play may also be helpful, but Mr. Rogers encourages adults to help children come up with "safe" make-believe scenarios such as helping someone at a hospital rather than reenacting the tragedy.
- Talk about people who are helping. Mr. Rogers notes that whenever his family learned about bad news, his mother encouraged him to "look for the helpers." These may include first responders, volunteers, doctors, or community members. Let your child know that even though bad things happen, the world has many good people who want to help.
- Ask the child for ideas on how to help. This might include fundraising, collecting donations, or being pen pals, as well as ways to make a difference closer to home through a community project. Mr. Rogers also suggests talking about ways that adults can help, such as making a donation or writing a letter to an elected official.
- Keep up your routine. Normalcy will help the child deal with difficult feelings, as will doing fun things that you both enjoy. Remember that kids still need to be kids!
- Stay calm. OneToughJob.com emphasizes how important it is for adults to manage their own stress so that they can be the best caregivers possible — and also to remember that children may be listening to adult conversations.
- Get close! A final tip from Mr. Rogers: "Give your child extra comfort and physical affection, like hugs or snuggling up together with a favorite book. Physical comfort goes a long way towards providing inner security. That closeness can nourish you, too."
Talking to Children About Violence: Multilingual Tips for Parents and Teachers
The National Association of School Psychologists recommends a number of helping tips in how to talk to children about violence and safety in this tip sheet, also available in multiple languages.
| Somali | Arabic |
| Kurdish-Bahdini |
Responding to Racism and Bias
- Talking with Students About Racism and Violence: Resources for Educators
- Addressing Anti-Semitism and Incidents of Hate
- How Schools Can Create a Safe Environment for Muslims
- Responding to COVID Bullying, Bias, and Violence Against Asian Americans
This updated resource collection provides a number of tools for addressing bullying and bias, as well as related lesson plans and booklists.
Recommended Resources
News websites for students
Talking about & preventing violence
- Gun Violence and Mass Shootings: Family Conversations About Current Events (Anti-Defamation League)
- Coping with a School Shooting (National Association for the Education of Young Children)
- Mass Violence Resources (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
- School Violence Prevention: Tips for Parents & Educators (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Understanding School Violence (The Centers for Disease Control)
- Tips for School Administrators for Reinforcing School Safety (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Talking to your children about school shootings (American Psychological Association)
- How to talk to children about shootings: An age-by-age guide (Today)
- How Teens from Chicago's South Side Are Standing with Parkland Survivors (The New York Times)
Addressing trauma
- Using a Strengths-Based Approach with ELs: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence and Chronic Stress (Colorín Colorado)
- How Social and Emotional Learning Can Help Students Who Have Experienced Trauma (Colorín Colorado)
- Addressing Student Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression (Colorín Colorado)
- Trauma-Informed Resources for Students and School Staff (Share My Lesson)
Talking about tough topics
Public media resources
- Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News (PBS Parents)
- When Something Scary Happens (PBS Parents)
- Meet the Helpers: A Public Media Initiative Inspired by Fred Rogers (WUCF and PBS)
- How To Talk With Kids About Terrible Things (NPR)
Guides and tips
- Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event (Child Mind)
- Parenting for a Challenging World: Recovery After a Traumatic Event (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
- Help in the Times of Crisis or Loss (National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement)
- Explaining the News to Our Kids (Common Sense Media)
- When Bad Things Happen (Teaching Tolerance)
Talking about tough topics: Multilingual resources
Spanish language
- Talking to Children About the Connecticut Shooting (American Federation of Teachers)
- Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting (American Psychologists Assocation)
- Helping Children Cope with Trauma (Red Cross – see bottom of page)
- Parent and Educator Tips for Talking with Children About Violence (National Association of School Psychologists)
- A Heartbreaking Choice: Should My Son Have Accommodations for Lockdown Drills? | Spanish version available (Understood)
Other languages
- Helping Children Cope with Disaster: Multilingual (Red Cross – see bottom of page)
- Parent and Educator Tips for Talking with Children About Violence: Multilingual (National Association of School Psychologists)
School safety
- Parent Guides on School Violence (National PTA)
- Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide (U.S. Departments of Education and Justice and the American Institutes for Research)
- School Violence and Security: A Historical Timeline (Education Week)
Resources Related to Past Tragedies
Lewiston, Maine
- Educators Grapple with Grief, Horror in Aftermath of Maine Mass Shooting (Education Week)
- "What Is a Teacher to Do?": Returning to the Classroom After a Tragedy (Education Week)
- 4 members of Maine's deaf community were killed in Lewiston mass shooting (NPR)
- Maine’s deaf community reeling after shooting claimed four of their own (The Washington Post)
Remembrance: Sandy Hook Elementary, 10 Years Later
- My Sandy Hook Family: An official website for sharing, communication, and contact with the families of those who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary
- Newtown, 10 years after the Sandy Hook tragedy (1A)
- Still Newtown: NPR Podcast
From the family of Ana Grace Márquez-Greene
The following articles and interviews share the voices of the family of Ana Grace Márquez-Greene. Ana's mother, Nelba Márquez-Greene, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in grief, loss, trauma and their impact on individuals and systems.
- Isaiah Márquez-Greene discusses his sister's legacy (CBS Morning)
- A decade after Sandy Hook, Jimmy Greene reflects on daughter's joy and grief of catastrophic loss (Connecticut Public)
- A Sandy Hook Parent's Letter to Teachers (Article by Nelba Márquez-Greene in Education Week, 2013)
- A Grieving Newtown Mother's Motto: 'Love Wins' (NPR interview with Nelba Márquez-Greene, 2013)
School shooting in Nashville, TN
East High School shootings in Denver, Colorado
- East High shooting on 3/22 prompts fear, frustration, and calls for action in Denver
- Students gather to remember Luis Garcia, killed on 2/13, at memorial outside East High School
Chesapeake, VA
- Virginia Walmart employee opens fire on coworkers, killing 6 (PBS NewsHour)
Colorado Springs, CO
- Community mourns deadly Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs (PBS NewsHour)
- Talking to LGBTQ Students About the Colorado Nightclub Shooting (Education Week)
University of Virginia
- In memorial service, UVA community mourns shooting victims (The Washington Post)
St. Louis, MO
- St. Louis grapples with aftermath of school shooting and widespread gun violence (PBS NewsHour)
- Teenage shooting victim remembered as 'beautiful inside and out' (STLPR)
- Teacher who loved ‘making a difference’ identified as victim of St. Louis school shooting (STLPR)
Uvalde, TX school shooting
- How Uvalde, TX is mourning its teachers and students (PBS NewsHour Classroom)
- What we know about the Robb Elementary School victims so far (The Washington Post)
- Teaching duo died together in their fourth-grade classroom (The Washington Post)
- Texas Children's Hospital expert discusses how to address Uvalde school shooting with kids (KVUE)
Buffalo, NY shooting
- After the Buffalo slayings, parents struggle through talks with their children (KQED)
- Gunman targets Black community in Buffalo (PBS NewsHour Classroom)
- What we know about the victims of the Buffalo shooting (NPR)
- Talking About Racism and Violence: Resources for Educators and Families
Chicago, IL shootings
- At least 7 killed, 48 wounded in Chicago's most violent weekend this year, West Side bears brunt of the violence (Chicago Tribune)
Parkland, FL school shootings
- Showing Up Strong for Yourself—and Your Students—in the Aftermath of Violence (Teaching Tolerance)
- Parkland, FL news coverage from Education Week & PBS NewsHour
Talking about the Sandy Hook shooting
- Classroom Resources: Talking and Teaching About the Shooting in Newtown, Conn. (The New York Times)
- Handling Tragedy: How to Talk to Kids About Sandy Hook (Edutopia)
- Talking to Children About the Connecticut Shooting (American Federation of Teachers)
- After Newtown: Tip Sheets and Information (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)
- In the Wake of Newtown, Helping Children Cope (Education Week)
- Innocence Lost: Honoring the Children of Newton, CT (Reading Rockets)
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