'Give them a hug - focus on the heroes': How to talk to your kids about school shootings

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- As the surviving victims of Monday's school shooting in Madison recover, there are likely mental and psychological impacts ahead from such a traumatic event. The same can be said for the community.

For parents now faced with the task of having tough conversations with their kids, there's a long road ahead.

Experts say there's no easy way to have these conversations, but it all starts with listening.

Gisselle Grob-Polewski is a junior at Milwaukee High School of the Arts. She says for many students, school shootings are no longer surprising or shocking.

It's a real threat they face each day. "It's scary. Really...kind of horrifying to go to school," she said.

Giselle is a young advocate for violence prevention and says in the wake of this week's Madison school shooting, parents of young children especially should check in on their kids. She says it's all about honesty.

"You don't want to tell them that someone is going to come kill them, but you want to tell them that there's a chance someone could hurt them, and they need to be prepared," she said.

Experts say creating a safe environment for kids to express their feelings, reactions and concerns is imperative.

Dr. Jeff Pothof with UW Health in Madison says even as a health official who sees trauma first-hand in his line of work, these conversations are still difficult for him to have back at home.

"I've read the literature. I know the research. It's still really hard to talk to your kids about something like this," he said.

Listening and asking questions can help guide the conversation. Dr. Pothof says parents should understand that events like this can rob kids of their sense of safety and comforting them through those difficult feelings is the only way forward.

"Give them a hug - focus on the heroes. All the good things people are doing to try to reduce the incidents of school violence but that's a tough conversation," he said.