Talking to Children about the Shooting

December 17, 2012

In the wake of the tragic shooting in Connecticut, many of you will be working with children and families who will have questions, concerns, and fears you need to deal with.  And, it is important that you deal with these issues forthrightly and appropriately.  We have surveyed members of the Exchange community and they have recommended  these resources, which you may refer to in guiding how to respond: 

• An Exchange article by Diane Levin:  "When the World is a Dangerous Place — Helping Children Deal with Violence in the News."

• A New York Times article, "Tips for Talking to Children About the Shooting."

• Advice from National Child Traumatic Stress Network, "Talking to Children about the Shooting."

• Advice from the National Association of School Psychologists, "A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope."

• A resource from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "Tips for Talking to Children and Youth after Traumatic Events."

• Fred Rogers' advice from Family Communications, "Helping Children Deal with Tragic Events in the News."

• Advice from the American Psychological Association, "Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting."

Connecting Children to Nature

Re-Posted from Exchange EverydayDecember 11, 2012

 

 "One of the great gifts we can give children through their frequent interactions with nature is a sense that they are connected to something larger than themselves," writes Vicki Bohling-Philippi in an article that forms the basis for the Exchange Out of the Box Kit, Using the Power of Nature to Help Children Heal.

"Nature is a constant in human life throughout history and geography.  The same songbirds children see in the spring will winter somewhere else around the globe. Helping children find those connections, perhaps by looking at pictures of the places our birds go in the winter, is a great way to help them realize how interconnected life on our planet really is....

"Developmental psychologist Martha Ferrell Erickson, a leading authority in parent-child attachment, recently spoke of a child s innate attachment to nature as an additional key to health and well-being throughout childhood. This natural connection is often evident when a fussy baby is taken outside and quickly calms to this literal change of scenery. But just as early bonding establishes the foundation of trust between parent and child, the earlier a child develops a bond with the natural world, the more likely that child will feel trust and comfort in nature versus fear and dread."