Tools for Family Conversations

Introduction

We know it can be hard to know what to say to your children about current events when they involve bias, bigotry, and/or violence. We have collected the resources on how to have skillful and helpful conversations from a broad range of organizations to help families guide these talks at home. We update these resources frequently, so please check back often.

GENERAL RESOURCES ON TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT DIFFICULT TOPICS

American Psychological Association: "Resilience in a Time of War: Tips for Parents and Teachers of Elementary School Children"
American Psychological Association: "Resilience in a Time of War: Tips for Parents and Teachers of Middle School Children"
ADL: "Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events " (These guides for discussing specific current events with children include a topic summary, questions to start the conversation and dig deeper, ideas for taking action, and additional resources. Each guide also includes a recommended age range.)
Kurtz Psychology: "How to Talk to Kids about What They See on the News"
Commonsense Media: "How to Talk to Kids about Violence, Crime, and War"

Gun Violence Resources

American Association of Pediatricians: "Responding to Children's Emotional Needs During Times of Crisis"
American Psychology Association: "R esources for Coping with Shootings"
Anti-Defamation League: Helping Students Make Sense of News Stories About Bias and Injustice
Anti-Defamation League: Gun Violence and Mass Shootings
Canadian Resource Center for Victims of Violent Crime: "How to Talk to Children about Murder"
ChildMind Institute: "Helping Children Deal with Grief"
The Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families: "Supporting Children and Teens After a Murder or Violent Death"
National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Children About Violence
National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement: "Talking to Kids About School Tragedies
National Child Traumatic Stress Network: "Helping Your Child After a Family Homicide"
Our House Grief Support Center: "Explaining Homicide to Children"

Holocaust Materials

Students in California learn about the Holocaust and other genocides in 10th grade. AUSD high schools often try to bring Holocaust survivors in to speak to students, but it isn't always possible. Families who would like their students to learn more about stories of Holocaust survivors can find testimonies on the following websites: