The recent school shootings raise many questions for children
(and grown-ups, too). Who would do such a thing? Why? How can I
be sure this won't happen to me? Is anyone really safe? There
are no easy answers about this kind of news, but it is important
for parents to try to explain what has happened in order to help
ease their fears and anxieties about their personal safety. "You
want to encourage the kids to talk about what’s upsetting to
them about the situation, to get some of the emotion off their
chest," said Dr. Alec L. Miller, a child psychologist with New
York’s Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of
Medicine. Psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow told NBC’s "Today" show
on Tuesday that parents should not discourage children from
discussing the events. "Believe me, kids are thinking already
about it," Ablow told "Today" anchor Meredith Vieira. "They need
an adult to coax them to express their feelings and to tell them
they are safe and that we’re going to do the things we need to
protect you." Pa