In a recent Today Show article, Kathy Ehrich Dowd discusses talking to your children about the Colorado movie theater shooting. Ehrich Dowd begins by stating that although this may not be a topic that you want to discuss with your children, it is very important to do so if they’re old enough to have heard about it.
I remember when the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings happened. I had conversations with my mother about guns and why people hurt others. Although my mother couldn’t explain to me exactly why these things happened, she was able to clarify the situation and give me a better understanding of what was going on.
Dr. David Schonfeld, director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, expanded on this idea by stating that you should be honest and direct but skip details that can be traumatizing for your child.
Dr. Schonfeld also went on to say that if your children younger, limit the amount of media exposure and explain what real guns can do if your child likes to play with toy guns. Finding out your child’s fears, sharing your feelings and talking about safety measures in place are among the other tips that Dr. Schonfeld lists when talking to your child.
Above all, Ehrich Dowd and Dr. Schonfeld want to reiterate the importance of having this conversation with your child. This is a serious issue that should not be ignored or taken lightly.
Read the complete article on the Today Show website?
BMWK, how do you explain these types of tragedies to your children? What conversations have you had with your children about gun violence? Did you talk with your kids about what happened in Colorado?
Great post! We have not talked to our kids about it yet. They get very little TV, media exposure so I’m confident that they will here it from us 1st (if we don’t delay). Our oldest is 11 and next is 6. Our 6-yr old is really into super heroes so I think this is a great time for us to share the differences between what happens on there and in the real world. We don’t allow them to play with toy guns, but all the super heroes have some type of weapon so it is kind of all the same. It should be an interesting, yet needed conversation. I am sure we’ll (my wife and I) will learn from it as well. Thanks for sharing this.