Helping Kids Deal with Disaster

Our hearts go out to the families of Newtown, CT.  And as we hold our own little ones a bit closer, we wonder how to talk with them about something so dreadful and so inexplicable.  A number of organizations have shared good resources for parents and caregivers facing this daunting task. 

BrightStars, an organization that provides quality rating and improvement systems for Rhode Island's childcare and early learning programs, passed on this advice from behavioral consultant Haven Miles:

Instead of talking about details with very young children, use simple language and simple ideas.

• A really terrible thing happened.
• Sometimes adults do terrible things.
• Terrible things almost never happen.
• We will be sure that you are safe.

Some more resources:

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – Coping with a School Shooting
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
• Association of Children's Museums

– Janice O'Donnell, Executive Director