Boston Children’s Hospital psychologist gives advice on talking to kids about Texas school shooting
Updated: 5:18 PM EDT May 30, 2022
JESSICA: THE FIRST FUNERAL SERVICES ARE UNDERWAY TODAY FOR TWO OF THE 19 CHILDREN KILLED LAST TUESDAY AT A TEXAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HEREO TANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. ERICA LEE, A PSYCHOLOGIST AT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. NATHALIE: KIDS GET INFORMATION FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES, INCLUDING OTHER KIDS. DO YOU THINK PARENTS SHOULD ASSUME THAT THEIR CHILDREN, EVEN THE YOUNGER ONES, PROBABLY KNOW AT LEAST SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MASS SHOOTG? >> I WOULDN’T ASSUME. LITTLE ONES MIGHT BE UNAWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED OR MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT IT MEANS. I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT PARENTS TRY TO START THE CONVERSATION WITH THEIR KIDS OF ALL AGES AND OPEN-ENDED W.AY START BY ASKING THEM. WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE WORLD AND WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE. THIS GIVES PARENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A CLUE WHAT’S GNGOI ON IN THEIR CHILD’S MIND. ALSO GIVES THE PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT ANY MISINFORMATION ANDO T PRODEVI REASSURANCE. JESSICA: ULTIMATE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT’S AGE APPROPRIATE? IS THERE INFORMATION THAT’S OK TO DISCUSS WITH A TEENAGER, BUT MAYBE NOT WITH A FIRST GRADER? HODOW YOU CHANGE YOUR WAY TO DO THAT? >> TEENSFT OEN GET THEIR NEWS INDEPENDENT OF PARENTS. YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM SPACE TO TALK ABOUT WHATEVER CONCERNS THEY HAVE ANDO T TNKHI THROUGH WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THEM IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IS IT THEY’RE GETTING THEIR NEWS. DO THEY KNOWOW H TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE WHAT’S FACT AND MISINFORMATION. FOR YOUNGER KIDS, THEY HAVE DIFFICULT TIME TELLING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT’S REAL AND WHAT THEY ARE SCARED OF WHAT MIGHBE A FANTASY. YOU WANT TO LIMIT MEDIA EXPOSURE TO THE YOUNGER KIDS AND EMPHASIZE WHAT WAYS THEY ARE PROTECTED AND SAFE. FOR PARENTS THEY ARE GOING THROUGH SO MUCHOW N. IT CAN BE HARD TO FIND THE WORDS WHEN THEY ARE PROCESSGIN THEIR OWN THOUGHT AND FEELINGS. IT’S OKAY TO TAKE SOME TIME, PROCESS THE NSEW FOR YOURSELF. THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANT TO SAY IT TO YOUR KIDS AND C THEM CALML AND GENTLY. NATHALIE: SOME PARENTS ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY AT SCHOOL. SHOULD THEY AVOID SHARING THOSE ANXIETIES WITH TIRHE KIDS? >> YES, SO MANY PARENTS ARE WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY. IT’S AN INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL TIME. WHAT I’M TELNGLI PARENTS, KIDS TAKE THEIR CUES FROM CAREGIVERS. PARESNT IT’S OKAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE. HOW YOU’RE FEELING BUT SO SO IN A DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE WAY. YOU REALLY WANT TO BE REASSURING WITHOUT FOCUSING ON THE FEAR. THAT CAN BE REALLY SCARY FOR YOUNGER KIDS. AN EXAMPLE HOW YOU MIGHTAY S THIS IS SOMETHING LIKE, I’VE BEEN FEELING REALLY SAD AND SCARED ABOUT THE SHOOTING IN TEXAS. I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU THOSE FAMILIES ARE DOI.NG IT’S OKAY THAT YOU FEEL UPSET ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TOO. AT THE SAME TIME, IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT FOROU Y TO KNOW THAT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS ARE REALLY RARE. WE, YOUR TEACHERS,ND A SCHOOLS ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMY SAFE. JESSICA: DR. ERICA LEE, THANK
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Boston Children’s Hospital psychologist gives advice on talking to kids about Texas school shooting
Updated: 5:18 PM EDT May 30, 2022
Children, especially teenagers, are getting information from many different sources — including other children.
Children, especially teenagers, are getting information from many different sources — including other children.
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