Parenting Webinar – How to talk to your kids about school shootings
| What a week… So much can happen in just one week. I park my car on the street near my home. Living in Brooklyn, this is where so many of us park. On Monday, I went to my car, and the driver’s side window was shattered. In the process of getting it fixed, I learned so many lessons. So much about how to ask for help, take action when overwhelmed, and how to move through big feelings. I thought today’s email would be about this. Then, the rest of this week happened… Tuesday seemed relatively standard from what I recall. Wednesday, there were 2 school shootings. Most people have heard about only one of them, as an assassination and not a school shooting. Yet that act of violence happened on a college campus, in front of hundreds of students. Thursday was the 24th anniversary of 9-11. I moved to New York on September 1st that year, and the 11th was my first day of student teaching. My mom worked in the World Trade Center and made it home safe the next day. We all have our story of where we were that day, and for me, it comes with some big emotions. It always feels like a reminder of how lucky I am for every day I have had with my family since. Friday is today. Today I have a bit of space to breathe, think, journal, feel, and process. Today I am digesting all that unfolded this week. |
| The action I can take… One of the ways I cope is by helping others. Being part of a larger community supports our mental health by reminding us that the world is bigger than just ourselves. For me, this is not just a mental health fact, but a truth that I live by. Today I want to help others in one of the ways I know best… by helping with difficult conversations about school shootings. I will be doing a webinar on Tuesday, September 16th, at 1:30 pm Eastern. Watch the replay here. First, I will share strategies you can use to support your mental health. Suggestions for how you can think and feel through these heartbreaking moments. Then I will share ways that you can talk to others, specifically how parents can talk to their children about school shootings. So many of the people in my community are parents. It is essential that you talk to your kids about these events. I want to make sure your kids hear clear messages from you, with your values and perspectives front and center. I am not here to tell you what to believe; I am here to help you find the words so you can connect to your children and other loved ones. The power of language and the importance of having critical conversations are two topics I speak about all the time. I want to use the skills I have in these areas to help you navigate these tough conversations. Finally, there will be time for questions. You are welcome to email me your questions in advance by hitting reply to this email or come to me live. |
| Golden Nuggets of the Week: 1. Live Webinar Tuesday, September 16th – I will be sharing strategies to have the hard conversation with your children around school shootings. Watch the recording here. 2. Big emotions are part of life – It is not about running away from our feelings. It is about creating time to feel them while we take action. It is about discerning when and how to release all our feelings, so we can take care of ourselves and be kind to others. 3. Find small ways to be kind to yourself and others – I have not talked about this much in this email, and it also feels so important right now. Treating others with humanity, kindness, and compassion is needed now more than ever. You don’t know what others are feeling or experiencing. So if you have the space and capacity, show extra kindness to others this week. Smile at a stranger, hold the door for the person behind you, or tell someone you love how much you are. It makes more of a difference then you know! |
| One step at a time Watch the recording to learn or be reminded of ways that you can support yourself, your children, and those around you. Get words that you can use when talking about school shootings with children that help them understand and feel as safe as possible. It is in these hard moments that we need to come together, learn from each other, support each other, and connect with each other. This is a space where we can connect. If you have other resources, please let me know. I would love to share them. Find the goodness that is in your life, see the love that is present, and reflect it back to others. This is the first step. Perhaps it is simply putting your hands on your heart and taking three deep breaths—you are breathing, and that is a gift. Maybe it is walking outside and seeing the sunshine—let the sun wake up your skin. Perhaps it is hugging someone you love—hold them tight and let them know you love them. |
| Sending love, Dr. Marcie |
