Mom, what happened? Why would someone do that to little kids?

This afternoon my daughter came home from school with lots of new questions about the school shootings.  This weekend my husband and I had the policy of giving just the basic information, limit the media coverage and reassure her of her safety.  At school today, there were multiple discussions both with an adult facilitating and on the playground with the rumor mill.  As I suspected, our due diligence went out the window.

I decided to share some resources that might help other parents and educators in the best way to present information of this magnitude.  Thanks to A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet for supplying a majority of these resources.

10 Tips to Help Your Kids Deal with Violence- from Parenting Press

10 Ways to Put Brakes on Mass Shootings in Schools- from CNN

10 Ways to Talk to Students About Sensitive Issues in the News- New York Times guest post

Checklist to Help Prevent Violence in Schools- 10 things you can do

Columbine Legacy: Schools Safer?- from CBS News

Dealing with Tragedy: Tips and Resources for Teachers and Parents

Discussing Hate and Violence with Your Children- from the National PTA

Hello Grief- "a place to share about grief and loss"

Helping Children Cope with Tragic Events- many sources from Share My Lesson

Helping Kids Cope with Violence in the News- child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Bob Hilt gives advice in a video

Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of School Shootings- from the American Psychological Association

How to Talk to Kids About a School Shooting

How to Talk to Kids About Violence- 2011 article from the Washington Post

No Lesson Plan for Tragedy- from Teaching Tolerance, this was written 5 years after Columbine

Preparing for the Worst Case Scenario- written by Kristopher Sill

School Violence and the News- from Kids' Health

Six Lessons from the Horrors of a School Shooting- from Dr. Michele Borba, Education Consultant

Taking Aim at Violence in Schools- New York Times Learning Network lesson plan

Talking and Teaching About the Tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut- resources from the New York Times Learning Network

Talking to Children About Violence from the NASP (National Association of School Psychologists)

Talking to Kids About School Violence- downloadable PDF files cover guidelines for schools, recognizing when children need help, caring for kids after trauma, disaster and death

Talking with Kids About News- from PBS parents

TeacherVision Resources on School Violence

TeachersFirst Resources for School Violence-  10 resource links

Tragic Events in the News- The late Mister Rogers on video with advice on this page to aid parents

Tips for Talking to Children About the Shooting- from the New York Times health section

Unspeakable Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary- from Edutopia; many links from Edutopia and other sites listed