This 6-Year-Old Survivor's Story May Be the Most Intense from Newtown Yet

[abelenkpe]

This 6-Year-Old Survivor's Story May Be the Most Intense from Newtown Yet

http://news.yahoo.com/6-old-survivors-story-may-most-intense-newtown-155540076.html

In the aftermath of Friday's Newtown school shooting, we've heard tales mostly horrifying and occasionally heroic, from surviving witnesses and mourning citizens alike, but this one lies somewhere in between, all the more unshakeable. One six-year-old Sandy Hook student played dead in her first-grade classroom, her family pastor said late Sunday, with the kind of quick thinking that ended up saving her life but now leaves her with the unshakeable memories of watching all her classmates being shot and killed. The name of the girl is not being revealed — we may have seen and heard too much from these poor kids on TV already — but ABC News's Lara Spencer reports the pastor's recounting: "Mom, I'm okay but all my friends are dead," she said.

(more at link)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I talked to my kids this weekend about the tragedy I asked my son what he would do if (god forbid) he was ever in such a situation. He told me without thinking he'd pretend to be dead. It shocked me. He didn't know of this girls story. How should kids react? Is there anything we can say or do to prepare them for such a thing?

[Schema Thing]

1. Oh I think he was thinking.

[abelenkpe]

5. True I should give him more credit

Didn't really know what to say after that though.

[msanthrope]

2. Have them 'play 'possum.' I spoke to my daughter this weekend about the shooting, and she

mentioned playing dead, hitting the fire alarm, and jumping out the window as possible escapes.

I sat her down on Sunday and told her about the shooting. I treated it like a fire alarm....what do you do when you are in danger, and it's a bad idea to go near the source of the danger.

Thing is, she asked me what she should do to help people. I told her "stay alive" first. Help, like police and firemen would be on their way.

[abelenkpe]

6. What a sweetheart!

I like your approach, treating it like a fire alarm. It is important to stay alive first. Can't help anyone if you don't do that. Thanks for your response!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

3. I hope the network newsies stay the hell away from that kid.

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, abelenkpe.