Talking to Kids About the Events at the Capitol

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images

This week has been another difficult one on many fronts. At the forefront, in shocking, real-time motion, the Capitol was breached on Wednesday by a mob of domestic insurgents. Many children and teens were in homes watching this unfold along with adults in their lives.

How do we help them process the things they saw?  The following two articles have some great suggestions:

• Don’t shy away from talking to kids about the Capitol riot. They know more than you think. Washington Post. On Parenting. Amy Joyce. January 7, 2021

• How To Talk To Kids About The Riots At The U.S. Capitol  KQED. Anya Kamanetz. January 7, 2021

Thanks to Teen Librarian Toolbox, you can find these and a few more links in their most recent Friday Finds (January 8) blog post.

Monthly Youth Newsletter

"The Cardigan Newsletter", the brainchild of two youth librarians from OK is a monthly newsletter packed with information on all things youth librarianship. It arrives on the 20th of every month in your inbox if you subscribe. Here's just one of the ten articles published this month:

Reflect
In the Shadow of Pittsburgh: Intellectual Freedom to Defend the Jewish People
Where we reflect on the deeper questions.
Allie

There has been a rise in anti-Semitic acts, the most recent including the mass shooting at a Synagogue in Pittsburgh. While I know all of our hearts ache at this injustice, it is Emily Schneider’s post, In the Shadow of Pittsburgh: Intellectual Freedom to Defend the Jewish People on the American Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Blog that gave me pause to my own actions as well as our profession’s actions regarding this horrific incident. Emily Schneider writes:

"At least, when I logged on to my computer after the Sabbath was over, and turned on cable news, I saw thorough and even passionate coverage of this latest atrocity, and witnessed the sincere and heartfelt empathy of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, people of color, neighbors of the victims or simply fellow citizens. Yet the response of the community in which I am active, advocates and professionals in children’s literature, has been relatively silent."

Schneider continues to note that many of our profession’s prominent sources for information, like School Library Journal and the ALSC Blog, were relatively silent about this event and did not offer resources for conversations related to Anti-Semitism. After reading this post, here are the questions I asked myself:

• What is the best way or medium for our profession to respond to injustices?
• What resources are available at my library and beyond that can help start a conversation about the rise in Anti-Semitism? Is there a gap in our collection?
• Is my library’s silence about this event speaking loudly to our Jewish patrons?

If your library did a display or a collection of resources in response to the mass shooting in Pittsburgh, we’d love to hear about it. If you are aware of other great resources related to this topic or have more to comment on this subject, please share with us at thecardigannewsletter@gmail.com or tag our Instagram @thecardigannewsletter and use the hashtag #thecardigannewsletter.

Resources

• How to Talk to Children About Anti-Semitism from the PJ Library
• Bearing Witness from The Horn Book’s Family Reading blog
• Love Your Neighbor Book List from the Association of Jewish Libraries

When Tragedy Strikes

How can we in libraries respond to our families in the aftermath of a crushing and tragic blow - whether from gun violence or a natural disaster? Three and half years ago, after the Sandy Hook tragedy, we wrote on this blog (and hoped it would be for the last time):
"You might have some parents or kids looking for help in dealing with the stress, grief, fear, and other feelings that are roused by such a horrific event.  Here are a few tip sheets and bibliographies that might be useful to you as you try to sensitively answer those questions. A display might be a good way to get the information out there to people who don't want to ask."

Having resources at the ready to share with families  is vital.

Here are some links to help meet the needs of our communities:
Orange County Library System put up a page with information and resources

Betsy Bird shared resources in her SLJ Fuse 8 column

A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet shares excellent resources to help children

South Central Library System (WI) shares bibliographies on helping children cope and teaching tolerance

Resources for Dealing with Crisis and Tragedy

All of us are reeling after the tragedy last Friday.  You might have some parents or kids looking for help in dealing with the stress, grief, fear, and other feelings that are roused by such a horrific event.  Here are a few tip sheets and bibliographies that might be useful to you as you try to sensitively answer those questions. A display might be a good way to get the information out there to people who don't want to ask.

Do you have other books or resources that you would recommend?


Bibliographies:

Bibliography from the Cooperative Children's Book Center, dealing with grief and loss 

South Central Library System set up a resource about helping kids deal with tragedy

Center for Children's Books Bibliography about coping with death

Boston Public Library Bibliography: Times of Grief and Sadness

Tip Sheets:

 Child Mind Institute:  Helping Your Child Deal with Frightening News

Child Mind Institute:  Going Back to School After a Tragedy

National Association of School Psychologists tip sheet

National Association of School Principals tip sheet (also in Spanish)

 

Love and Logic tip sheet for dealing with tragedy