Here's the scholastic news version of the recent tragedy in case any kids need to read it.
http://sni.scholastic.com/top-news/...ice//////&ym_MID=1455116&ym_rid=19428600

Thanks for sharing the link. I already talked to my 8 year old daughter about this tonight, but the conversation went surprisingly well (as could be). My daughter, much to my surprise, was more concerned about having empathy and compassion for the kids and their parents then she was fearful for her own safety at school. I was glad I talked to her about it but this is a conversation that I hope to not have to have again with her, ever. My heart is so heavy tonight

THANK YOU!

Both my kids asked about this yesterday and I distracted them/put them off, because I didn't even know how to begin talking about it!

I was crushed when I saw the priest interviewed who said he just got through helping notifying a young boy that his sister was killed. And the little boy was distraught and saying "who am I going to play with now?"

And I think of my two boys and how they go from being best friends to annoying each other at the drop of the hat and how devastated one of them would be at the loss of the other.

A quote that my son's teacher e-mailed and said that she is going to mention it in class on Monday. I thought someone might find it helpful. It is by Fred Rodgers (of PBS children's show friendly neighborhood fame).
I have not heard this quote before so I looked it up and found the Fred Rodgers and company site,
http://www.fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html


When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.

Hi Barbara,
The link to Fred Rogers' advice appears to have moved to this new location: http://www.fredrogers.org/FRC/par-tragic-events.html.

Here are more helpful resources I found:

1). PBS Parents: Talking with Kids about the news -
http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/news/talking.html

2). A nice post from Gabriel Hershman -
http://reviewsmylife.com/death-and-other-dastardly-ds/

3). National Association of School Psycologists: Talking to kids about violence - http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/talkingviolence.pdf