TALKING WITH CHILDREN ABOUT VIOLENCE AND DISASTERS:
The events of September 11 are overwhelming and incomprehensible. Many parents have faced the additional difficulty of deciding what to tell their children and how to talk about those events in a way that provides the necessary information but is not too scary for them. The links below may provide some helpful guidance.

Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters
National Institute of Mental Health

A fact sheet to describe what is known about the impact of violence and disasters on children and adolescents and suggest steps to minimize long-term emotional harm.

Tips for Talking About Disasters
US Department of Health and Human Services, Disaster Mental Health

This web-site includes articles such as: " How To Help Children After a Disaster", "After a Disaster: What Teens Can Do," "After a Disaster: A guide for Parents and Teachers", "Crisis Counseling Guide for Children and Family in Disasters", as well as articles relevant to the needs of older adults and disaster response workers.

War, Terrorism, and America's Classrooms: Teaching in the Aftermath of the September 11 Tragedy. A special report from "Rethinking Schools On-Line: An Urban Educational Journal"

This report includes a range of perspectives from educators seeking to respond to students' emotional and intellectual needs in the current crisis; and background articles that provide social and historical context to guide educators.

Talking to Children About Violence and Other Sensitive and Complex Issues in the World. Adapted by Linda Lantieri and Sam Diener from A Discussion Guide for Parents and Educators by Susan Jones and Sheldon Berman; Educators for Social Responsibility (http://www.esrnational.org)
1-800-370-2515

This guide explores some of the questions that parents and teachers ask most frequently about ways to have discussions about events such as the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and the bombing of Afghanistan.