With the tragedy of the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., rattling students, parents and educators around the nation, local experts and school districts spoke about their plans for dealing with the potential for emotional and psychological stress in local students.
Be sure to monitor what your children see with the inundation of information through a 24-hour news cycle and a saturation of information in social media, said Ann Cook, a child trauma therapy coordinator with Marley's Mission.
"Limit children's exposure to media. The more they see, the more they're going to ask, 'Can this happen to me?'â" said Ms. Cook, a Connecticut native, who grew up not far from Newtown.
Parents should plan ahead for questions their children might ask after the high-profile shooting. After an event with the amount of coverage this received, it's likely children may have some idea what happened or at least picked up on the emotions, she said.
"It's tough to know what to say as a parent," said Karen Bierman, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Penn State. "It was a terrible and unpredictable thing. Most parents are pretty distressed themselves."
With so many questions and answers hard to find, parents can still offer support to their children and explain what happened in terms they can understand.
"This person made a terrible, terrible mistake. There's no reason to do what he did. What he did was wrong. Clarify for kids this was the wrong thing to do. That's a message they can translate to their own life," Dr. Bierman said. "Talk to a parent or adult, someone who can help sort it out."
Ms. Cook suggests being open and honest with children but says to be sure to keep the conversation age-appropriate and within their scope of comprehension. Check in with how they are feeling and calm fears and sleep loss by talking rationally about the unlikeliness of the situation.
Most importantly, reassure the child they are loved and safe, she said.
The same goes for students who might be nervous about returning to a school environment.
Abington Heights Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., said the main message when students return Monday will be that they should feel safe and comfortable at school.
"First and foremost, as horrific as this tragedy is, we have to remind our students tens of thousands of children went to school today and were fine. Our elementary schools are a safe place," he said.
Scranton Superintendent Bill King agreed and said his district would be reviewing security measures, evacuation plans and safety precautions.
"We're going to have to sit down as a group on Monday and talk to kids about tragedies such as this. One thing we want to do is assure those kids that ⦠we're working hard for their health, safety and welfare," he said.
Educators should encourage students to use counseling resources if they feel affected by the shooting, said Scranton High School counselor Sue Sileo.
She and her colleagues gathered Friday afternoon to discuss how to bridge the situation with students.
"Be alert and triage any of our students who come in and are affected by the news they are hearing," she said.
She recommended parents do the same thing at home with their young students. As parents, be sure to allow open discussions about the issue, but be sure not to give children more than they are capable of dealing with.
"Don't hide it. Let them drive the discussion. Let them engage and drive. Let them ask the questions, and answer them on a need to know basis," she said.
BILL WELLOCK, staff writer, contributed to this story.
Contact the writer: ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter