With more and more tragic news stories seemingly every day, many parents may want to shelter their children and some schools ask teachers not to discuss these events. But children are not immune to the media covering or adults discussing the latest in gun violence/school shootings, bullying, hate, racial divides, sexual harassment and more. This reality becomes inescapable when schools practice “active shooter” drills. As teachers across the country struggle with ways to help

By Kurt Greenbaum In the aftermath of events that make your children question some of their most basic needs and personal safety, your children will surely have questions - some that they share and others they internalize - about their wellbeing, that of their family and friends, the events the precipitated the unrest and what's to come. Just as before, be sure to reassure children that they are safe, and that schools are a safe place for them to be. In fact, your school has

By: Kurt Greenbaum Psychologists who deal with children and schools agree on the one most important thing parents must do during difficult times: Reassure children that they are safe and cared for. The National Association of School Psychologists counsels parents to “explain that all feelings are OK when a tragedy occurs. Let children talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.” The strategy for talkin