Peel District School Board offers parents tips to support children dealing with attacks in the United States

As the severity of the situation unfolds in the United States, it is clear that Peel board staff, students and parents will have many questions. There will be absolutely enormous coverage of these attacks and, just as in the Gulf War a number of years ago, schools have a role to play. Here are some tips from the Peel board Critical Incident Response Team to assist parents in dealing with this issue at home with their children.

• Explain what has happened in simple terms. Keep it short.
• Be willing to discuss your child's fears and concerns.
• Let your child talk about her fears and concerns. Don't expect your child to "get over it" immediately--there may be delayed reactions.
• Keep your routines as normal as possible--stick to usual dinner time and bedtime.
• Share your own feelings, but in a reassuring way. For example, "I feel really upset too, but it's important for you to know that you're safe here at home and school."
• Your child will pick up on your anxiety, so think carefully about any discussions you have in front of your child about the incident.
• Emphasize that this incident is extremely rare, and that it happened far away.
• Use straightforward language, even though your child is young. Don't shy away from using the word "death."
• Don't force your child to talk if he doesn't feel like talking.
• Watch for signs that your child needs to talk--for example, she becomes withdrawn or anxious, becomes clingy, experiences sleep disturbance, expresses fear about ordinary events like going to school or leaving parents.
• Reassure your child, spend extra time with him.
• Limit your child's exposure to television, especially news coverage.
• Take into account your child's previous experiences--for example, has there been a death in the family recently?
• Ask for help--social workers, psychologists and members of the Crisis Intervention Team are available to the school--speak with your teacher or principal if you wish to speak with someone.

Letters with additional tips are available for parents of kindergarten, elementary and secondary students.

We will continue to provide updates and support. In the meantime, all of our thoughts are with those who lost their lives--or their loved ones.

 

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