Sadly, mass shootings have become common in the U.S., and parents should recognize that at least some information about these events is likely to reach their children. In his latest column for the Healthcare Journal of Arkansas, ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson writes that parents should not wait until their children have heard about a tragic news event to talk to them about it.

“It will be better for them to hear about it first from you than from another source such as social media or another child,” writes Thompson, a pediatrician. He also offers tips for having these difficult but unavoidable conversations.