Safe means that you are being your best self and living the life you've imagined even in the face of uncertainty. It means that you are being kind and brave -- to yourself and to others -- even if you are afraid. Even when you don't know what's going to happen next.

As a parent, how can I go on after learning that my very best efforts are not enough to protect my children from the worst kind of harm?

There are many challenges that come with parenting, but today I have been most challenged by my overwhelming urge to weep and the need to maintain a sense of calm and stability for Laurel and Violet. It has been a day of dissonance on so many levels.

As an educator and advocate for children, I get many queries after tragedy, especially about how we can help our children cope with what they have heard and seen. I hope these simple messages help.

Parents in Boston and across the globe are struggling to talk to their children about the bombs that exploded on Monday. What is safe to tell them? Wh...

The important thing to know is that children take their coping cues from us, the trusted adults in their lives. This isn't to say that we should cover our pain. Not at all. Rather, we need to model healthy coping mechanisms for our children.

Spend as much time with your children as is possible In the days and weeks ahead. Keep the lines of communication open and be emotionally available to them.

When talking with our children about tragedy, we can choose to emphasize grief and healing rather than fear and danger. Our purpose is to help our children recover and be resilient, not to be frightened of their lives.

When it comes to tackling many important topics I'm dying to discuss with my sons, now 7 and 11, news stories can get through to them in ways I can't. It brings my urgings to "Be Careful!" to life.

How do you explain a senseless massacre in a movie theater to your vulnerable child, whether he or she is 8 or 18?

My daughter and I are on a collision course with the most brutal kind of truth -- and I better make sure I'm fully there for impact.