Explaining Violence to Kids

Dr. Michelle Golland: As hard as it may seem to turn something as horrific as the tragic shooting at Fort Hood into a teachable moment with our kids, it can be done. And it should be done: we can't assume that kids won't hear about these events simply because we monitor their viewing of the television in our own homes. Our kids also live in a world where their friends may be discussing these events on the school yard, or they may hear it or see it at one of their peers' homes. That is why it is imperative that we discuss, in age-appropriate ways, the major events in our society with our kids.

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