Resources and Support after (another) School Shooting
During times of tragedy and difficulty in the news, we may think that children are unaware of what is happening. However, children are more aware - than we know and are especially sensitive to the moods and conversations of adults around them. Here are some ideas and considerations for supporting children when the news in the world is difficult:
“In times of stress, the best thing we can do for our children (and for each other) is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.” Fred Rogers
Please to try as much as possible to shield children from the news and adult conversations about the tragedy.
With young children, use one simple sentence to capture what happened, e.g. "Someone hurt some children very badly." Answer any questions the child may have very clearly and matter-of-factly.
Emphasize school safety at Izzi, where our gates are locked so only safe people can come inside. We have many drills to be fully prepared in the very rare chance that something scary happens.
Provide ways for children to express their feelings and reactions through talking, or drawing, or playing it out.
Other resources:
Community & Gun Violence | en Español (Sesame Street Communities)
Take an age-based approach (kids to teens) to discussing news of school shootings | en Español (Common Sense Media)
How to Support Kids When the News Is Heartbreaking | en Español (Tinkergarden)
Talking with children about difficult things | es Español (Fred Rogers Institute)
FREE 6/2 ONLINE WORKSHOP School Shootings: How do we protect our kids? (Kidpower)
The health and safety of our staff and families is of highest importance. We are holding space for our community, sending deepest condolences to the Uvalde community, and thinking about other school communities across America during this challenging time.
