Websites
- National Institute Of Mental HealthResources, articles, and links to find professional help.
- US Department Of Health & Human ServicesTips for talking to children and youth after traumatic events. Downloadable PDF file.
- National Association of School PsychologistsResources include how to help your child cope with tragedy, how to discuss traumatic events with them, and tips for caregivers to maintain their own well-being.
- The National Child Traumatic Stress NetworkIncludes how to discuss media coverage with your child, age-appropriate reactions and how to comfort your child, and how to talk directly about these events with your child.
- Violence In Our SchoolsUniversity Of Minnesota Family Extension's site for helping relieve your child's anxiety, how to talk about school violence, and violence prevention.
- 30 Resources To Help Our Children Cope With TragediesLots of links, covering school violence, grief, support groups, and many more.
- Helping Children Cope With Violence And Tragic EventsMany links, including ways to directly help the victim's families.
- Fred Rogers Talks About Tragic Events In The News"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world."
Books for caregivers
After the Storm by ISBN: 9780897934749Publication Date: 2006-03-28Our lives today are threatened by world tensions, global warming, job loss, social upheaval and economic uncertainty. All this stress, added to the normal problems of living, lowers our resilience and leaves us feeling vulnerable. When personal crises or disasters get added to the mix, the effects can be traumatic.
Children Changed by Trauma by ISBN: 9781572241664Publication Date: 1999-10-01Shows parents and others what they can do to help children who have witnessed a traumatic event cope with emotions, learn to talk about what happened, and begin to feel safe again.
The Scared Child by ISBN: 9780471082842Publication Date: 1996-09-17Here are detailed instructions, based on professional techniques, to encourage kids of any age--from toddler to teenager--to reveal their feelings through words, drawings, and role playing with step-by-step advice for reassuring them and helping them let go of their fear.
Terrorism and Kids by ISBN: 9781893290099Publication Date: 2001-08-31A guide for parents and teachers who are faced with children's difficult questions during these difficult times, this book includes dozens of practical tips for minimizing kids' fears without being overprotective and specific answers to questions children may ask.
Books to share with children
A Terrible Thing Happened by ISBN: 9781557986429Publication Date: 2000-02-15Preschool-Elementary
After Sherman sees something terrible happen, he becomes anxious and then angry, but when a counselor helps him talk about these emotions he feels better.
Why Did It Happen? by ISBN: 0688123120Publication Date: 1994-03-01Elementary
Violence is all around us--whether on television, in movies, or on the streets. This story concerns the robbery of a neighborhood grocery store and how one boy comes to terms with the event.
On That Day by ISBN: 9781582461007Publication Date: 2002-08-02Preschool-Elementary
Sometimes bad things happen in the world. But there will always be good things in the world, too. You are one of those good things.With simple language and a heart-felt message, Andrea Patel addresses a timely and timeless question: What can you do when bad things happen?
Bad Stuff in the News by ISBN: 9781587171321Publication Date: 2002-01-01Middle-High School
How can we cope in a world filled with pollution, poverty, and violence? In our media-centric society, this is a question that kids come face-to-face with at increasingly young ages. This essential handbook for today's modern youth will help kids and parents deal with confusing, troubling, or scary events, while showing them how to take part in repairing the broken world around them.
Good-Byes by ISBN: 9780761317524Publication Date: 2002-09-01Preschool-Kindergarten
A photographic essay presenting the many circumstances in which a child might say good-bye to various friends and relatives.
The Invisible String by ISBN: 9780875167343Publication Date: 2003-01-01Preschool-Kindergarten
Whether it's a loved one far away, or a parent in the next room, this book illustrates a new way to cope with something all children and parents confront sooner or later; a child's fear of loneliness and separation.
