From Mister Rogers

Here are some comments that Fred Rogers has offered families and caregivers in times of crisis. We hope these comments will be helpful for you. Like you, we are grieving for those whose lives have been tragically affected.

• Somewhere deep inside each one of us human beings is a longing to know that all will be well. Our children need to hear from us adults that we will do everything we can to keep them safe and to help them grow in this world.
• When Fred Rogers was a boy and would see scary things on the news, his mother would say to him, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."
• In a time of worldwide stress, it's easy to give in to feeling helpless. We can take care of our children by sticking to our normal routines. To respect our children enough to listen to what they're telling us. And to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.

To print off a PDF version of the Mister Rogers pamphlet from which the above suggestions derive, visit www.fci.org/brochure. At www.misterrogers.org, in the Newsworthy section, you will find more ways to help children deal with the events that have occurred in our country.

The Sesame Workshop also has an array of helpful information at: http://www.sesameworkshop.org/parents/advice/article/0,4125,49560,00.html

Additional advice from Stand For Children

• Continuously reassure your children that you will help to keep them safe.
• Turn off the TV. Overexposure to the media can be traumatizing. If your older children are watching the news, be sure to watch with them.
• Be aware that your child's age will affect his or her response. Adolescents in particular may be hard hit by these kinds of events, and need more intensive, expert support and counseling.
• Calmly express your emotions, but remember that a composed demeanor will provide a greater sense of security for your child.
• Give your children extra time and attention and plan to spend more time with your children in the following months.
• Let your children ask questions, talk about what happened, and express their feelings.
• Play with children who can't talk yet to help them work out the fears they have based on the atmosphere around them.
• Keep regular schedules for activities such as eating, playing, and going to bed to help restore a sense of security and normalcy.
• Consider how you and your child can help. Children are better able to regain their sense of power and security if they feel they can help in some way.
• Participate in community gatherings where people are connecting and demonstrating caring support and concern.

Additionally, the following Web sites include helpful information:

Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center
http://www.tolerance.org

The Parent Center
http://www.parentcenter.com/general/34754.html

American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/disastercomm.htm

American Psychological Association
http://helping.apa.org/therapy/traumaticstress.html#children

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
http://www.aacap.org/