Do you think that you are protecting your kids from not talking about school shootings? Are you struggling to admit to the reality? How can you nurture, prepare, and support yourself and your kids through these difficult times?

It is so important that we listen to understand. If they feel a certain way, we need to respect it. We want our kids to talk to us, don’t we?

It was such a shock to turn on the news and hear about those innocent children and teachers who lost their lives at the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I knew I just had to do a podcast episode for the parents out there on how to have these difficult conversations with our kids.

In This Podcast

Summary

• Consider the source of information
• Admitting the reality
• The benefits of talking about it
• Gather information
• Pay attention

Consider the source of information

Many parents hope that they are protecting their children when they do not talk about school shootings with them. However, they already know.

Most children, from young kids to teenagers, have access to the internet and see as much as you do from the news online. Ignoring it is not going to help, even if you are doing it with good intentions.

I would prefer to teach my children about what took place than have their friends or social media teach them. (Veronica Cisneros)

Consider the source of information and the fact that your kids may prefer talking about these topics with you rather than with strangers.

Admitting the reality

The difficult part about talking about school shootings is then having to admit that they are real and that they happened.

Because they are so awful, it sometimes feels easier to ignore them than to admit that they were real, but they are, and talking about them will help to stop them.

The benefits of talking about it

I’m so thankful that we had that conversation, because we were able to have that conversation, the kids could express their fears and concerns, and the emotions that they were willing to share, they were able to express them and they were met with validation, concern, and empathy. (Veronica Cisneros)

Talking about these difficult subjects openly as a family can encourage empathy and a sense of connection, because everyone is then on the same page and can work together with one idea or plan in mind, instead of feeling isolated.

Work with your partner. Even if your emotions and opinions differ, you both need to be aware of where you are both at to remain on a team.

Gather information

What is your child’s understanding about what took place? I want you to gather as much information as you can. (Veronica Cisneros)

Have your kids learned about the school shootings via:

• their teachers
• their friends
• social media

Who gave them this information? And what information do they have? Don’t judge or criticize it, gather information to understand where you need to step in and correct, address certain things. (Veronica Cisneros)

To have a fuller conversation with your child, you need to understand what it is that they already know about the situation, and where they currently stand with it.

For us to have open lines of communication with our children, we must understand it from their perspective, including their feelings. (Veronica Cisneros)

Pay attention

After you have had these conversations with your kids, keep an eye on their behavior. Have they become withdrawn, nervous, or anxious? Do they want to stay home from school, or get nervous in public places?

If you see your kids displaying some of these symptoms for more than a week, provide them with resources. Help them by getting them to speak to somebody like a therapist to help them cope and learn how to overcome the fear.

Useful links:

• My Husband gets to clock out, I don’t! How to resolve this | EU 120
• Psychology Today
• School Crisis Center
• FREE Guide Download – 5 Mistakes to Avoid for a Healthy Marriage
• Join The Empowered and Unapologetic Housewives Club
• Empowered and Unapologetic Instagram Page 

Meet Veronica Cisneros

Hello, my name is Veronica Cisneros, I am a licensed marriage and family therapist for over 7 years, a Group Private Practice owner, a Mother of 3, and married for over 20 years. I help housewives transform their marriage, communicate effectively and build confidence. Like you, I also struggled with cutting through the communication barriers. I felt like there was no reason for my husband and me to feel unhappy because we had it all. We just felt disconnected and our conversations were filled with avoidance, kids’ hobbies, and schedules. 

I’ve helped plenty of couples in my private practice who struggled with similar issues. With my proven strategies and step-by-step skills, I’ve helped hundreds of women reignite their marriages. I am known for helping women step outside of their comfort zones, I don’t do bandaids, I only teach life-changing healing methods.

Whether you listen to the podcast, join the free Facebook community, or join our ‘Reconnect with your Husband’ Workshop,  you’re in the right place. Let’s do this together!

Thanks for listening!

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