How to talk to your child about school shootings

If you're a parent struggling to talk with your kids about the Uvalde shooting, you're not alone.

On Tuesday, NBC 26's Nina Sparano spoke with Gene Yang, a child psychiatrist at Rogers Behavioral Health, who offers insight on how to have difficult conversations with your children.

Dr. Yang advises parents to not avoid the topic. He says if you avoid discussing the issue, you risk creating more anxiety and fear.

Dr. Yang says it's better to bring up the subject preemptively before your child even mentions it, talking about what you've seen on the news.

Parents can also try to make the conversation age-appropriate. For really young kids, you can reassure them that they are safe and adults have plans in place to protect them.