Tips for explaining tragedy to your kid

Everyone knows that September 11 is a day that we will never forget. Whether you were at work or at home, one of the aspects that is often forgotten about when remembering this day is how it changed our little ones. As a result of 9/11, tiny tots may experience a wide range of emotions that they have trouble expressing. That's why it's our job to assuage our kids' fears.

To learn on how to discuss any type of life-changing event, read over the tips below from Parenting.com:

1) Hold off until they are a bit older
You may think the sooner the better when it comes to explaining disasters, but it's better that you bite your tongue.

Dr. Paul Coleman, author of "How to Say It to Your Child When Bad Things Happen," told the website that kids "might see  [a traumatic occurrence on TV or hear about it at school (or heaven forbid even witness it), and then you have to deal with it. But, younger children might not be able to handle it well."

2) Keep it clear cut
Experts like Dr. Coleman say that you should always reassure kiddies that the event is never going to happen again. Sure, you may feel like you're telling a little white lie since nothing in life is 100 percent certain, but saying something like "All the bad men that were responsible for 9/11 will probably never hurt anyone anyone ever again" isn't going to make little Sammy feel better.

3) Exercise compassion
Whenever your lovebug is feeling uneasy after anything scary happens, you should do your best to make him feel safe. Don't mock or laugh at him, instead your child that you understand how he's feeling.