The recent shooting at Apalachee High School which left four dead has impacted all of Northeast Georgia, particularly young people returning to local schools. For parents struggling to discuss the tragedy with their children, resources are available.
Parents who are grappling with how to respond in the wake of Wednesday’s school shooting are not alone. Danny Malec is the Executive Director of the Georgia Conflict Center in Athens, which implements restorative justice practices around the community. He says that parents who don’t how begin the conversation can fall back on one skill.
“My mantra in restorative work and a situation like this is to be curious. We assume we know how our child is doing, but we can be way off,” Malek says.
He says that making space to ask questions and listen is important during not just this time of tragedy, but all the time:
“I think the fire drill analogy is an important one. If we try that now when we haven’t been doing these things in an ongoing way, it may not be too effective, but if we practice in a regular way of being present, asking questions, then our children will be more likely to respond to that when tragedies happen.”
The Georgia Conflict Center has also provided a list of resources for parents who want to begin conversations about the recent shooting, found here:
- Everytown Support Fund to Talk to your children about gun violence
- Talking to Your Kids About Tragedy - a bilingual (English/Spanish) resource shared with us by Brightpaths
- A Call to Action Community Resource guide, Athens Anti-discrimination Movement (AADM)
- American Psychological Association Guide to Helping Your Child Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting
- Mental Health America resource on BIPOC Mental Health
- National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement guide to talking with children after a school shooting
