Helping your kids cope with trauma
- Be honest about your emotions, but be strong
- Children will learn to cope and manage stress from seeing you cope
- Limit your child’s media exposure
- If you choose to let your child watch TV, as much as possible watch TV with your child so that you can have conversations about the tragedy
- Listen to your children express their feelings
- Be affectionate with your child
- Calmly give factual info, or your child may speculate to fill in the gaps. Be age-appropriate with your explanations: give simple, brief explanations to young children, and more details to older children.
- Be consistent -- stick to your normal routines as much as possible
- Find a way for your family or classroom to put your fears into action: write a letter or send a creative care package to the students and families of the school
Helping allay your child’s fears
- Be calm
- Listen to your child’s concerns
- Explain how schools and authorities have plans to keep them safe
- Advise your child that we can’t let events keep us from living our lives, or defeating us
- Tell your child that school is important
- Don't expect these symptoms in most kids, but if they do occur, it may mean a need for special attention for the child:
- Irritability and loss of concentration
- Uncharacteristic behavior problems
- Stomachaches, headaches, dizziness with no apparent cause
- Withdrawal from friends and family; sadness, lethargy
- Difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite or compulsive eating
SOURCE: The Family Conservancy