>> WELCOME BACK TO GMA 3. IN THE WAKE OF THE DEVASTATING SHOOTING AT THE COVENANT SCHOOL IN NASHVILLE, MANY PARENTS ARE FACED WITH FIGURING OUT HOW TO TALK WITH CHILDREN AND GRIEF, GUN VIOLENCE AND FEELING SAFE WHEN GOING TO SCHOOL EACH DAY. >> HERE TO HELP US WITH THIS CONVERSATION IS PSYCHIATRIST DR. SUE VARMA. WELCOME, DR. VARMA. SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US. YOUR A MOTHER YOURSELF. YOU HAVE A 9-YEAR-OLD IN YOUR HOUSE, RIGHT? >> ABSOLUTELY, YES. >> I KNOW THIS IS HITTING HOME FOR YOU. DEDICATED UNCLE, PARENTS HERE. IT'S HARD. IT'S ALSO OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TALK TO OUR KIDS ABOUT THIS IN THE APPROPRIATE WAY. WHAT ARE YOUR SUGGESTIONS ON THAT? MY KIDS ARE 3-5. STILL LITTLE. >> I KNOW. HAVING A STANCE OF OPENNESS, CURIOSITY, ASKING OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU. TELL ME MORE. WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT? AS PARENTS WE PROJECT OUR OWN INSECURITIES AND FEARS AND ANXIETY AND HAVE COMPASSION AND SAY I'M SORRY TO HEAR YOU FEEL THIS WAY. VALIDATE THE EMOTION. I UNDERSTAND. SOMETIMES I FEEL THAT WAY, TOO. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MEET THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT AND LET THEM LEAD THE CONVERSATION. >> TO THAT POINT, AGE IS OBVIOUSLY THE CRITICAL FACTOR. WE'RE TAUGHT IN MEDICAL SCHOOL IT SHOULD BE AGE APPROPRIATE FOR THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STAGE OF THAT CHILD. WHAT SHOULD PARENTS KNOW ABOUT THAT IMPORTANT ISSUE OF AGE? >> EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO HARD AND FAST RULE OF A CUT OFF, I TEND TO SAY UNDER THE AGE OF 8, UNLESS IT'S AFFECTING YOUR FAMILY IMMEDIATELY AND THEY NEED TO KNOW SPECIFIC GUIDELINES, BE? ASK THEM. MY PHILOSOPHY IS OUR JOB IS TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE. THAT INCLUDES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY, FEELING A SENSE OF CALM AND HOPE AND SAFETY. THEY DIDN'T CREATE THIS MESS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FIX IT. IT'S NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BURDEN THEMSELVES WITH ADDITIONAL DETAILS. >> WHAT ABOUT EXPOSURE TO THE NEWS, THE MEDIA. TO CHILDREN DEPENDING HOW OLD THEY ARE, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THEY'RE WATCHING THE SAME SCENE LOOPED AGAIN AND AGAIN. THEY THINK IT'S ANOTHER EVENT HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SO WHAT ARE YOUR -- WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE IN TERMS OF THE NEWS AND MEDIA? >> TO REALLY LIMIT AND TO SAY WHAT ABOUT THIS DO THEY NEED TO KNOW. SAY YOU NEED A BREAK. LET'S PLAY. GIVE THEM A DISTRACTION AND A SENSE OF NORMALCY. THIS IS NOT NORMALCY TO BE PLUGGED IN 24 HOURS. SAY I WILL READ THE NEWS FOR YOU AND FIGURE OUT WHAT OF THIS IS PERTINENT TO YOU. >> AND REFUSING TO GO TO BED OR SCHOOL AND JUST TALKING ABOUT THESE NIGHTMARES. SO IMPORTANT. GETTING PROFESSIONAL HELP LIKE THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HELPING WITH THIS