PORTLAND, Maine — With a handful of events and school days being postponed or canceled altogether after Wednesday night's brutal mass shooting, experts are offering advice for parents on how to discuss this tragedy with young ones.
Brooke Hackett, director of children's services at The Family Center of Maine, works with kids of all ages. When it comes to dealing with a crisis like this, she says having age-appropriate conversations is the first step.
"And what that means is little kiddos just need a little bit of information and then as kids get bigger they can handle bigger information," Hackett said.
The shooter was found dead Friday night.
For young kids, Hackett says brief and simple information should be balanced with a calm tone. Parents and caregivers can also try and return to a routine or change the conversation to a shared activity to calm young one's nerves.
"You do what we do as adults to help ourselves feel better, you engage in a preferred activity somewhere, you get some exercise," Past-president Ruth Crowell of the Maine Association of School Psychologists said.
Over the past few days, Crowell said the association has been working closely with staff of Maine school districts to share resources and examples on how to best support students.
For older students and children, especially those with internet access, she says more context and information can be given.
"You're not going to offer extra information that they're not looking for," Crowell added.
Experts say the bottom line is to ensure young ones that the adults in their lives are doing everything they can to keep them safe.
Although shielding young ones may seem like a good choice, experts say using euphemisms or steering away from the truth entirely can break a sense of trust.
"When parents can come in and talk about it in a grounded, regulated way, it can set the kiddo up for a little more success in managing the hard stuff that comes with it," Hackett said.
She said sometimes when adults "dance around" tough topics like this or ignore it altogether, it can send a message to children there is something to be afraid of.