A message to our children: Don’t be afraid to reach for the sky

If you were around the New York area ten years ago on September 11, you know it was a beautiful crystal-clear day. It was the kind of day which made you gaze admiringly at the sky as you stepped out the door. No one knew that soon the sky over New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC would be marred by the dark clouds of terrorist attacks. Many of your children were too young to remember much about the day, or perhaps they were not even born yet.

As the ten year anniversary of that tragic day approaches, we remind you of previous posts which may help your children digest the images they see in the media and the raw emotions of adults around them. Above all, don’t be afraid to discuss the day and assure your children that it’s still ok to reach for the sky:

Explaining Tragedy to Children
Books for helping children through bereavement
How to explain death to a young school aged child

This link from Common Sense Media may also help: Talking to your child about 9/11: What do you need to know?

Naline Lai, MD and Julie Kardos, MD