How to Help Your Kids Spot and Report Signs of Mass Violence Before Tragedy Strikes

With 18 school shootings already recorded in 2018— including Wednesday’s deadly spree in Parkland, Florida — parents and schools alike are grappling with the grim task of talking to kids about mass violence. It’s a tall order. In addition to broaching topics such as gun safety and helping kids process emotional and psychological trauma, adults are tasked with preparing children to recognize and report warning signs of violence before horrific events occur. In the wake of the Florida shooting, for example, sources ranging from gun control organizations to President Donald Trump emphasized the need to speak up about potentially dangerous behavior. How can parents best prepare their kids? TIME spoke with Peter Langman, a Pennsylvania-based clinical psychologist and the author of Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters and School Shooters and Jeff Temple, a professor and psychologist in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Here’s what they had to say about talking to your kids about preventing mass violence. Help them understand the warning signs The most basic warning sign of violence is a concept called “leakage,” Langman says. “People leak their intentions,” Langman explains. “Sometimes they just brag about what they’re going to do. They’ll say, right out, ‘I’m going to bring a gun to school and kill people.’ Other times, it...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthytime Mental Health/Psychology onetime Source Type: news