Connecticut School Shooting: 4 Tips to Help Kids Cope

ABC:

Alan Kazdin, a professor of child psychology at Yale University, offers four tips for parents to frame that discussion and help their kids cope.

Don’t Over-Talk This

Parents can easily project their own fears onto their kids.   Your kids will likely hear about it, so your child has questions. Answer at the level of the question.  Parents shouldn’t dwell on the tragic nature of it,  but don’t be evasive.  Don’t lie, don’t withhold.

Shield Kids From the Media

After 9/11, kids suffered trauma from overexposure to the media.  Child psychologists call it  “secondary terrorism.” As parents, we sometimes take the stance that our kids need to be tough and “they might as well know the truth.” But psychologists say they need to be  ”coddled, cushioned and comforted” now so they can be emotionally stronger later.

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