Surprisingly, here we are again – heartbroken and angry at another school shooting. How do we explain this recurring madness? It is wonderful that our children even have to deal with such tragedies.
Yet, despite our confusion, school shootings are a sad reality and the response to children is significant:Fear, anxiety and trauma. Our children need our help Navigate to this event. We’ve collected dozens of picture books written by highly talented authors to help you deal with children’s fears and anxieties in a comforting, age-appropriate way.
Taylor doesn’t know where to turn when tragedy strikes. Her animal friends offer solutions, but none of them are right. Then the rabbit arrives and gives Taylor what he needs. This sweet book gives sage advice on how to comfort and heal the people in your life by becoming a loving, gentle, listening presence.
Little Sherman witnessed something terrible. She tries to forget about it but she feels nervous and can’t sleep. Eventually, she finds someone she can talk to and gradually begins to feel better.
Kids deal with scary feelings in a variety of ways. Created in close consultation with specialist child psychotherapist Dr. Sherry Coombs, this simple story helps children recognize, understand, and communicate their feelings.
Did he have a great fall after the Humpty Dumpty? Did he just lie there? Or did he call for courage to face his fears? This story carries the strong message that sometimes comesife starts when you back up.
Jenny and her brother Sam know something serious is happening. Their mom and dad are busy with TV news and it doesn’t feel like a regular day. They want to know what is happening and how not to be so scared, but they need the help of their mother and father.
The cowardly squirrel does not leave its nut tree. It’s too dangerous there! He may encounter tarantulas, green martian or killer bees. But one day, the terrible squirrel left his tree and jumped unknowingly. And in doing so, he discovers something about himself and the world.
Swimming by Leo Leoni
Life in the big blue sea can be scary! A favorite classic, the swimmer has helped kids of the generation learn how to be brave and use ingenuity and teamwork to overcome danger.
The older sister helps the younger sister deal with her fears. She shares all the things she was afraid of and the strategies that helped her. He also shared that over time, the scary feelings go away.
Although we all have scary experiences, we may not all react the same way. In this sweet story, the squirrel and his animal friends share their experiences and how they learned to adapt with the help of adults who helped them feel safe.
Come with me by Holly M. McGhee and Pascal Lemaitra
A young girl asks her father what he can do to make the sometimes scary world a better place. What he has learned is that small and seemingly trivial tasks can make a big difference in the world. An amazing story about the power of kindness, courage and friendship in the face of uncertainty.
Miles’ cousin Keisha needs help from friends and family when she is shot. Eventually she learns to use her imagination and creativity to help her deal with her fears.
One of the survivors of the Columbine High School shooting wrote, tHer book “Helps Children and Adults Understand Shooting at School and Encourages Us to Be Ready while reminding us that we should never be afraid of what our lives will be like.”
Also, how to talk to kids about school shooting
Age-appropriate, helpful strategies for educating children and to alleviate their worries about this scary, sad subject from Scholastic.
Advice comes from Kyle de Pruitt, a clinical professor of child psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine from the Washington Post.
Suggestions for an age-based approach to discussing school shootings with children from common sense media.
Anxiety Management Strategies: From Your Kids and Childmind to Your Own.
Tips on how to start a conversation, how children can react normally, and how to seek help if needed from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Also, 5 one-minute activities to help your students build emotional resilience