Here is the letter we are passing out to parents this weekend to help them navigate talking with their children about the tragedy.
Dear Parents,
Our hearts are broken for
the children and families of Sandy Hook Elementary and the community. It is overwhelming for all of us.
Let’s be praying for comfort and peace for the
families. God has promised to be with us
in times of great pain and suffering. "The
Lord is close to the brokenhearted,” wrote the Psalmist, “and saves those who
are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18).
His presence and peace abides though our words fall short.
When children
find out about tragedy, they want to know how it affects them and their
families. Parental guidance and input is
crucial. You know your own children
best.
To respect your role as a parent, we will not be
discussing the tragedy with the children.
We will be glad to sit down with you and your child if you would like
help in discussing the tragedy with your child.
As a parent, you may be
wondering how to talk with your child about this tragedy if they hear about it
or you decide to discuss it with them. Here
are some strategies to help bolster your child’s sense of security and
counterbalance negative emotions.
Let
your children know that you are there for them. Tell your
children that you love them. Spend time
holding them. Allow them to experience
the warmth and security of your touch.
Keep
them in a routine. Maintain
an atmosphere of normalcy, balance, and predictability.
Protect
your kids from media overload. Read a book together instead of watching the
evening news.
Don’t
overreact in front of your children. They will pick up on your
emotions and reactions.
Assure them that you will keep them safe. Let them
know about the safety measures that you have in place because you love them
and want them to be safe.
Accept
your child’s emotions. Validate his or her feelings. Enter into them with him or her. Let him or her know that it’s healthy and
normal to feel sad or fearful when bad things happen. It’s good to be honest about their feelings.
Assure
your children that trained people are on the job doing everything possible to
meet the needs of the victims. Children find comfort in knowing
that someone is in charge and is ministering to those affected.
Observe their behavior and moods carefully. Keep an eye out for any obvious signs of
distress, insecurity, and confusion. A
key factor to watch is sleep patterns.
If they ask why this happened, assure your
child that this was not from God.
Jesus came to bring life and life more abundantly. We live in a broken world where tragedy
occurs.
Pray
with your child. Pray together for the families of the
victims, the rescue and medical workers, and civic leaders.
May God’s peace and presence be experienced during this time.
