First Lady Michelle Obama wrote an open letter to parents on how to talk about the Sandy Hook shooting with their children, emphasizing the positive responses of the people involved and the need to “stand with the people of Newtown.”
“We can tell our kids that we’re doing everything we can to keep them safe and make sure they feel loved – and so are their teachers, coaches, faith leaders, Scout leaders and everyone else who plays a role in their lives,” Mrs. Obama suggested in the letter.
She also urged parents to encourage their children to be grateful for courageous teachers and first responders and to point to the Sandy Hook students “who carefully followed instructions and comforted each other amidst the chaos.”
“And finally, we can tell them that it’s our job now to stand with the people of Newtown – to pray for them and to find ways, large and small, to show them that they are not alone in their grief,” Mrs. Obama also wrote. “It is now up to us to carry the memory of those who were lost in our hearts and to follow their example every day, living our lives as they lived theirs – with courage, determination, hope and love. Those are the values that give us our strength as Americans and that we return to in times of crisis – not just because they help us heal, but because they define who we are, as a people and as a nation.”
You can read the whole letter here.
