What to Say When... Your Child Asks About a Tragic Event
Whether it's a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, your
kids' questions are many and the answers rarely easy  The images
flash across the television screen, and before you can change
the channel your child starts asking questions: What happened?
Why are those people scared? Can that happen to us?  It’s
difficult to explain why something like a tsunami, tornado or
terrorist attack occurs. But listening to your child’s questions
and providing simple answers is vital to managing his curiosity
and fears.  “The key for me is 'need to know,’” says Jeffrey
Dolgan, Ph.D., senior psychologist in behavioral health at
Children's Hospital Colorado. “You don’t want to over-talk or
over-provide. The kids will tune out anyway. What you have to do
is to get on their level and find out what their questions are.”
Here are some tips on how to help your child understand a tragic
event.  Don’t over-explain. If your child asks what a tsunami
is, tell him it’s a big wave