How to Talk With Preschoolers About School Shootings

Sometimes preschoolers see and hear about things we don't want them to, including tragic or violent events like school shootings. Inevitably, young children have questions about what is happening. As an adult, it may feel easier to ignore a child's questions or send her off to play instead of explaining current or past events that involve violence and tragedy. However, parents often forget that events like school shootings can affect a young child, even if she only recognizes that Mom is worried, sad or scared.

Instructions

    • 1

      Ask your preschooler how much she knows about what happened. It's important for you to know how much information your child already has about the topic of school shootings. If she says she doesn't know, a brief explanation such as "There are sad things in the news, and Mommy's worried. But I love you and am here to take care of you" might be the best answer. Knowing too many of the details about a school-related tragedy can be emotionally overwhelming for kids of this age, especially if they have recently started preschool.

    • 2

      Explain the school shooting briefly if your child is more aware of the event. Something as simple as "Someone went to a school with a gun and tried to hurt the people inside" should be more than enough. It's not necessary for you to give a reason for what happened, especially since the reasons behind events like school shootings are often never fully understood. Allow your child to ask questions, and answer them honestly. Include your honest feelings about the school shooting as well.

    • 3

      Reassure your preschooler of her safety. Since she most likely has only been going to preschool for a year or two, she might be worried that someone could get inside of her school and try to hurt her. Explain the safety measures that are in place at the preschool she goes to, including how visitors have to sign in and why certain doors are locked throughout the day.

    • 4

      Encourage your preschooler to talk about her concerns and feelings about the school shooting. Kids need to know that it's OK to feel sad or scared about what has happened. Sometimes, children are scared because they have limited information or have misunderstandings about the events.

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