I hope that you and your family have had a happy and healthy start to the New Year!
I would be remiss if I did not address last week’s attack on the Capitol. Since Wednesday, I have experienced so many different emotions including anger, fear, frustration, confusion and uncertainty. There are times that I am at a loss for words when I replay the scenes from the storming of the Capitol and the mob entering the US Senate. In short, this assault on democracy has shaken me to my core.
In my various classrooms as a former history teacher, I spent years recounting, discussing, and analyzing significant events in our history. During those classes, it was easier to remain detached and to think about the events objectively while dissecting the causes, effects, and long term impacts of each historical event. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I would live through a second violent attack on our country, especially one that directly assaulted the heart of our democracy.
In my own home, there were, and continue to be, lots of questions, confusion, and interpreting information that my children have seen or heard. Although I shouldn’t be, I continue to be amazed by how much more kids see, hear and contemplate than we think they do. Many of them are on social media, reading a wide range of comments and even more likely, watching videos of the attack. Of course, each child will process these things very differently.
Each of us processes our experiences in a unique way and at one's own pace. In the coming days and weeks, your child(ren) may have questions, may make connections, and may even have strong emotional reactions to Wednesday’s events. These responses may present themselves at incredibly random and potentially inconvenient times. As adults, our children are looking to us for reassurance and for us to help them to understand what has transpired. Without a doubt, talking about this is extremely difficult, especially with kids. Thankfully, there are many resources available to assist us with having these challenging conversations.
Below, I have included a few links to some of these resources. Some of the content applies to children of all ages, while others provide suggestions based on the age and developmental level of children. This list includes only a very few of a large number of resources that exist. I included them to get you started. In addition, please feel free to reach out to your child(ren)’s school(s) if you are concerned about your child(ren) or if you need assistance in navigating these important discussions.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth McAndrews
Acting Superintendent
NEA Talking to Kids About the Attack on the Capitol
Coping with Stress Caused by Watching the US Capitol Riot
10 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About the Attack on the US Capitol
