Tragedy Reverberates Throughout A Community And An Entire Nation
Like everyone else, we feel shock and disbelief, followed by immediate concern, over those who have been killed or hurt today on the Virginia Tech Campus.
As parents and teachers with young lives in our care, all of us worry about helping children understand how someone would just slaughter human beings so callously - especially when we ourselves can't make sense of it. Although there's no perfect solution, here's the first of five guidelines that can often make a positive difference in talking with children.
Don't over-assume what tragedy means to children. They react differently depending on their age, their closeness to the situation, their own personalities, what they hear and are told, and their family's pattern of communication.
Some may be deeply moved, others less so. Some may have many questions, others fewer. Not all will be intensely affected. Showing little reaction does not automatically mean a student is hiding or denying his or her feelings - Rob Evans, psychologist and school consultant, Wesley Mass.
Tomorrow: Young people are remarkably resilient.
TIME FOR TOUGHER GUN CONTROL LAWS???