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How can a parent help their child traverse these disturbing times?

Let the child's age and level of development guide you, experts say, but first, be sure that you are in the right frame of mind.

"A parent's first step is to take care of themselves, their mental health, their emotional health. Put their oxygen mask on first before they put the oxygen mask on their child," said Chicago pediatrician Dr. Nia Heard-Garris, who chairs the minority health, equity and inclusion committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

"Vicarious trauma through screens is real, especially for marginalized communities who may have experienced similar actions first-hand," said Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician who teaches at the University of Michigan.

The stress of watching traumatic events on television and smartphones "lingers within our bodies and minds," Radesky added. She suggests parents find ways to channel that energy with positive actions, such as deep breathing and re-grounding exercises, before playing with or talking to your kids.

"This doesn't mean letting go of the anger or anxiety, it just means organizing it better so you can think and act more clearly," she said.

Once a parent is fully available to be a calm, rational voice, "then you can parse out what's important to pass onto your child so that you're not oversharing information that may further traumatize them or make them feel insecure or unsafe," Heard-Garris said.

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