Las Vegas Massacre | What to do When you Don’t know What to do? | 5 Tips That Will Help

By Jada JacksonPublished On: October 3rd, 20172.7 min read

What to do When you Don’t know What to do?

If you are like most people and watch the news, the world is probably looking pretty scary lately. Recent hurricanes have ravaged from Texas to Florida, up the east coast and the entire country of Puerto Rico as well as many islands in the Caribbean. Earthquakes in Mexico, mass murder in Myanmar, floods in Mumbai and Nigeria, and most recently the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

So many thoughts, feelings and emotions run through us all from sadness to anger to helplessness.

What can we do and what do we say to our children in times like these?

Acknowledging our feelings is crucial. It’s quite normal to feel a wide range of emotion when natural disasters occur and when senseless acts of violence are carried out. You are human, you should feel something.

What can you do to make the best of a bad situation? Here are 5 steps you can take right now to point you in a direction, when you feel directionless.

1. Gratitude — right now. Most likely you will instantly find something you are grateful for right after a tragedy. Find 5 things – and just say thank you.

2. Find the good. You’ve just been blasted with all the bad news and you can’t change what has happened, so focus on the good people. Humanity really pulls through if you look for all those first responders and volunteers and just regular people that come out to help. They far out number the bad people.

3. Take action. Can you donate time? Money? Resources? Maybe you want civic change? Call your senator or representative? Join a local group.

4. Keep the message to children — children centric. Children under 7/8 do not need to know the details of mass carnage nor do they need to watch the news. Children in middle school might hear things from their friends and you can address that as it comes. Make sure they have correct facts and don’t let them see grisly photos. You need to be the adult and while you might not be sure of what’s up right now, you can assure your child that they are safe right now, especially if that is the case. We can’t predict future events.

Keep talking and watch for any behavior that might seem out of the ordinary. Anxiety tends to rise after tragic incidents. If it seems like it’s getting out of control, seek professional help. You don’t have to suffer.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that has been affected by natural disasters and all the recent violence that has been going on lately. There are more good people in the world.

Check out this video of some people doing good —> Watch here

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Author: Marina Spriggs M.A. – Licensed Professional Counselor – Intern

Jada Jackson

National TV Host of Emotional Mojo | Jada Jackson, MS, LMHC, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, is called by national TV News outlets and organizations to speak on a variety of topics effecting today's youth, young adults and couples. Jada is an Author, International Communicator, providing Counseling to Couples, Families, and Individuals. She is also a Self-Esteem Coach and Image Enhancement Specialist for Students, Models, and Professionals. As an international model and Commentator with Ebony Fashion Fair she quickly realized the effects of the modeling industry, not only on society, but also the self-image issues of models worldwide. Her experiences lead her to author Be-You-tiful to share her journey on obtaining her healthy self-image to help men and women find their true identity. Societies pressures on Body Image effects people in many different ways: depression, anxiety, self esteem, cutting, eating disorders, sexual promiscuity, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, relationship issues and more. Jada shares her experience, international success and passion to guide others into meaningful and purposeful living, Read more information on Jada Jackson on this site.

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