What are your children thinking after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting? Conversations Parents Should Have
Sandy Hook Remembrance
It’s been almost two months since the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy occurred in Newtown, CT. Although media coverage has settled down and the families of the victims have been left to mourn, I wonder about elementary school children all over the country and how they have been affected. I also wonder about the conversations parents should have with their children since this will be an issue for quite some time.
When the shooting was still fresh, I watched as my sister sat my five year old niece down to discuss the tragedy. She said “There are a lot of sad mommies and daddies this Christmas.” My sister was surprised to find out that my niece had already learned about the shooting in school, but was very proud that she wanted to make Christmas cards for the families in Connecticut.
Kids pay attention and know so much that parents are often blindsided when it’s time to deal with tough conversations. In the coming months, gun laws will continue to be on the agenda and school security systems will be adjusted. Children are going to be told of these events in school, which means these are conversations parents should have. The sooner, the better!
If your child comes home sprouting off new information that they have heard in school, use that to start a discussion that will help to guide their thinking. Ask them if they know what to do during an emergency at their school. If they do know, see what they think about their schools emergency plan. Find out what they consider to be an emergency and how they think the situation could be fixed or handled. If they are unsure of what to do in a school emergency, give them some ideas that they can ask their teacher about. The objective is not to make your child afraid, but to allow them to discuss their feelings and clear up any uncertainties. At the end of the day, open communication can help to keep them as safe as possible.
Written by Canisius College Communication Studies student Brandi Banks, Class of 2013
