Many of us have reacted to the tragedy out of Newtown, Connecticut with shock and grief. The news has hit many people without direct connections to Newtown unexpectedly hard, and it has been difficult to know what to do with our feelings of anger and anguish. A photographer in Chicago documented this phenomenon on his blog, “Another Look at Chicago,” with a series of photographs.
First and foremost, understand that you are not alone in feeling great sadness in response to the Newton tragedy. But continually watching news reports about Newtown may fuel your anxiety. Seeking out ways to be helpful to the victims and others impacted in the Newtown community may be a better outlet for your feelings. The United States Post Office has set up a special address for those who wish to send sympathy cards to residents of Newtown, Connecticut: Messages of Condolence for Newtown, P.O. Box 3700, Newtown, CT 06470.
Other options include making donations to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund, which is being managed by the United Way of Western Connecticut, or the Newtown Rotary Sandy Hook School Fund, which has been organized by the Newton Rotary to support the families of the shooting victims.
Many parents, meanwhile, are struggling with how to talk with their children about the tragedy.
When talking with children, it is important to remember that they are not responding to the news in the same way you are. The Motherlode parenting blog from the New York Times has helpful advice on how not to talk with children about the Newton tragedy. Don’t assume, for example, that they are reacting the same way you are:
Many of us think our children will be thinking and worrying about what happened in Newtown because we can’t avoid thinking about it ourselves. But what if the answer is that they know very little? What if the child in front of you doesn’t appear worried at all? Do we have to “talk to our children” about every tragedy? As awash in information as adults are, many children, especially younger ones, simply aren’t in that position. It may be difficult, but also unnecessary, to protect them from hearing about a news event at all. And a child whose television comes from Disney and whose primary use of a mobile device involves throwing birds at pigs may not be inundated with information in the ways we fear.
Disney’s Babble blog published a helpful post with links to information sources from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, and Massachusetts General Hospital about talking with children about a shooting, as well as information from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry about talking with children about grief and loss.
We hope you find these resources helpful.
Meanwhile, until next time, Stay Well.