x
Breaking News
More () »

Virginia Beach psychologist, parenting expert offers advice on how to help children deal with trauma

Doc Brown offers advice on how parents can communicate with their kids after instances involving guns at Hampton Roads' elementary schools.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — It’s been more than a month since a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher at Richneck Elementary in Newport News.

Just this week, police say another 6-year-old brought a gun to Little Creek Elementary in Norfolk.

Now, school safety is top of mind for many parents across Hampton Roads with some school divisions looking to install metal detectors. 

   


Dr. Adolph "Doc" Brown is a Virginia Beach clinical psychologist and parenting expert. He's also the cohost of ABC's "The Parent Test."

Doc Brown sat down with 13News Now on Saturday to discuss how parents can talk to their children about these changes.  

Doc Brown said the addition of metal detectors can be confusing to children. He said it’s important for parents to open up a conversation with their kids at home, but emphasized its key for parents to explain it in a calm fashion. 

“If a parent’s hypervigilant and anxious about it, that’s communicated. That’s contagious, actually. So, parents have to talk about it with a reassuring sense that everything’s going to be okay,” Brown said.

When it comes to situations like what happened at Richneck Elementary, Doc Brown said there’s no such thing as a child being too young to have tough conversations.

However, he says parents should modify the message based on the child’s age.

“The message is not a message that doesn't need to be communicated, it just needs to be communicated developmentally-appropriate,” Doc Brown explained.

For Elementary-aged children, Doc Brown said a parent should focus on reassuring the child that they’re safe.

He said parents of teenagers can expand on that message and talk to their children about steps they can take if violence breaks out at school. 

“Such as hiding, such as running and other things,” he said. 

Doc Brown said it's important that school administrators and parents communicate and work together. he said, oftentimes, there are warning signs before acts of violence.

"Usually violence at home, previous violence in schools or other arenas,” he explained. 

Doc Brown advises parents to be mindful of their own behavior. That way, they can create a safe space for children to talk about their feelings.

He also urges parents not to ignore possible warning signs.

“If you see something, say something, do something. Do something. If you have a child that needs some intervention, attempt to get it.”

Before You Leave, Check This Out