For adults, the recent shooting spree in the United States, in which 20 small children and six teachers were massacred is tragic, senseless and confusing. We cannot understand why or how such a terrible thing could happen, and our hearts are filled with sorrow for the parents, the children and the community.
But at least, as adults, we are filtering these events through our lifetime of experiences and we know that it is this event's very rarity that makes it so appalling.
When faced with how to explain it to children, we are lost because there seems to be no explanation that is not frightening. And yet we know that the children will probably hear the news from each other, from the media, or from adult conversations. They may be affected no matter how much we try to protect them.
For children, the two things that make the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, more salient are that it involved children and took place at a school. In addition to powerfully capturing their attention, it is - like a natural disaster - unpredictable, sudden and uncontrollable.
How to deal with children about the issue such as this depends on their developmental stage. Infants and toddlers are not likely to understand most of it, but they may be affected by the emotional context of the household, influenced by parents or siblings.
To minimise effects on this age group, avoid discussing or even thinking about the event while feeding or playing with the child. Do not watch television news coverage while the child is in the room and be careful not to leave magazines or newspapers with pictures of the event where a toddler can find them.