Psychiatrist shares three questions parents should have the answers to following TX school shooting

BOSTON — Another tragic school shooting this time in Texas. “It’s really scary, it’s a strange world - it’s not what we grew up in,” said Craig Castriano who is a Braintree parent of school age children.

In this day and age parents are well aware the Texas incident impacts every parent and child across the country because it’s constantly on TV, online and talked about. Preparing schools and students is something parents tell Boston 25 they’d like to see in schools.

“There should be some kind of protocol in place in case something happens,” said Joe Cheverie who is also a parent of school age kids.

Perhaps you didn’t do it when you were in school. But in recent years, most schools have practiced lockdowns and safe mode.  Now terms kids understand as second nature, according to child psychiatrist Gene Beresin from the Clay Center for Healthy Minds at Mass General Hospital.

“Good training is super important and kids talking about that,” said Dr. Beresin.

And he adds that addressing children about the school shooting depends on how old they are. And he stresses that all kids want to know three things:

• Am I safe?
• Are my caregivers safe?
• How will this affect my daily life?

If you have pre-school aged children Dr. Beresin says, “You can say to them that something bad happened but you’re going to go into the details,” he said.

He adds that school age kids think in “black and white” or “good and bad” terms.

“You can say this was an isolated individual who tragically entered the school and started shooting. You can answer their questions,” said Dr. Beresin.

If you notice they have a headache or tummy ache they may need more TLC.

But for teens it’s a different approach. “Have multiple conversations with your teenager about this and allow them to bring up this conversation with you,” said Dr. Beresin.

And with teens always:

• Listen
• Respect
• Validate

“The more we involve them the more they feel respected and the more they want to talk with us,” said Dr. Beresin.

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