Experiencing or witnessing a school shooting can be devastating and potentially traumatic for youth. Being exposed to a school shooting via television, social media, and word of mouth can be traumatic, as well. As our country mourns the students and teachers who lost their lives during the Uvalde school shooting, many youths will deal with a wide range of emotions. It is important for adults in their lives to be there to listen to and support them. It may be difficult to have these hard conversations, so we created a trauma-informed tipsheet to help you.
We would like to note that The American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend avoiding the topic with children until they reach about 8 years of age. However, adults should talk to their younger children about mass shootings if they are at risk of hearing it from others. It is very important to talk to older children openly and honestly.
Download our tipsheet now and share it with anyone who may benefit. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families, schools, and community members connected to Uvalde elementary school.