Friday night, many dinner table conversations around the United States will likely be dominated by the .
But what if the ones asking questions about the violence are the people at the table whose feet barely reach the floor, and who will be off at an elementary school of their own come Monday morning?
The world is a complex place, but parents can take measures to reassure kids who have questions about violent or scary events in the news.
Parents should start by finding out what their kids know and ask questions to gauge their feelings about the news, according to PBS and Parenting Magazine.
Both publications also suggest parents should keep their discussions about scary news simple.
"Give children the information they need to know in a way that makes sense to them," PBS writes on its parenting site. "At times, a few sentences are enough."
Parents should also offer reassurance and use scary news as an experience to teach, PBS and Parenting Magazine report.
Read more:
- PBS: Talking With Kids About News: Strategies for Talking and Listening
- Parenting Magazine: 5 Tips on Talking to Kids About Scary News
What do you think? If you have young kids, how do you handle the topic of tragic, violent or scary news? Tell us in comments.
