Schools

Have You Talked With Your Child About the Shooting at Sandy Hook School?

Experts advise when talking about the shootings to take your lead from your child.

Today is the first day back to school, since the on Friday, Dec. 14, where 20 children and six adults were killed by a gunman. 

The Medfield School District will take age-appropriate steps today to assure students that they are safe at school, and those children may have follow-up questions for their parents.

Experts advise that parents follow the lead of their children—feel them out, find out what their concerns are—when talking about the incident.

Find out what's happening in Medfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dr. Joshua Weiner during an interview on msn.com said he had not told his school-aged children about the massacre in Connecticut until Sunday.

"With elementary school children, you want to be brief and simple and not go into detail," advised Weiner. "Young children don't understand probablilites. ... You want to assure them that they will be safe."

Find out what's happening in Medfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Weiner also said to assure your child that school is a safe place and that nothing bad will happen to them.

President Barack Obama said that he and the First Lady would tell their children they love them, according to Salon.com

PBS also offers guidelines on how to talk with your child about the tragedy. 

Yet, most parents are struggling with what to tell their kids.

Have you talked to your kids or students about the shooting in Connecticut? If so, please share what your told your children with Patch, as many parents are uncertain on how to discuss the incident with their child.


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