Kevin Dahiill-Fuchel, executive director of Counseling in Schools, discusses the importance of having these crucial conversations with our children following the Nashville school shooting that took place on Monday.

“To heal, we need to be able to express and feel validated in what we are feeling. It’s really just step one,” says Dahiill-Fuchel. 

He says asking questions such as, “What are you thinking about?” and “What’s happening today?” will allow parents to bridge the gap for where their child may be and what the next steps to take are.

While those questions are important, Dahill-Fuchel says that adults also need to look within to have these discussions.

"I think we need to sort of take stock ourselves as adults as parents. To think about what we need to sort of work with this emotionally," said Dahill-Fuchel.

He says that responses to those important questions parents are asking their kids will help bridge the gap and provide guidance for their children into their teenage years.

“You have to just connect," said Dahill-Fuchel. "Children need to feel they’re not alone and be able to share their feelings and that their feelings are valid and everything that they’re feeling or experiencing or thinking about is able to be discussed and addressed in some way.”