EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – In the span of several hours, last weekend’s mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton left 31 people dead.

At the El Paso Walmart many of the victims were children who were there shopping for back-to-school supplies. In the aftermath of these traffic events parents are left grappling with how to talk to their children about these shootings.

But it’s not just children. Many people are struggling, feeling stressed, anxious, or angry every time there is a mass shooting.

Psychologist Dr. Erika Felix joined The Beat on 1 with advice on how to talk with our children and how to cope with our own emotions after these events.

“If you have children that are old enough to comprehend news it’s important to start the conversation,” said Dr. Felix. “My own research and that of others say that if we avoid talking about these things with our kids, silence gets interpreted as maybe it’s too horrible to talk about or my parents don’t have the answer.”

One recommendation is to have a family plan in place so that people are prepared in the event of an active shooting situation.

For more information or resources, visit the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.