Reflections (from an SLP) on the Anniversary of September 11th

(this post was originally published on September 10, 2011–the 10th anniversary of 9/11)

Today’s post will not address any particular speech sound, language app , or a way to incorporate food into your therapy sessions. Instead I am posting some thoughts on the events surrounding the anniversary of the most tragic day in the history of our country.

Every summer for the past few years, my friend and I take our kids to Manhattan to see something new. (This year we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Madame Tussuad’s Wax Museum). It has become a wonderful tradition—one that I look forward to every year. This August, instead of taking the train, we decided to drive to Staten Island and take the Staten Island Ferry into the city. We thought it would be a fun, new perspective for the kids to view the trip into New York.

Personally, I have never taken the ferry so it was enjoyable for me as well. We had a great panoramic view of the skyline and passed by the Statue of Liberty. However, the 20 minute ferry ride, with the city staring us in the face, was also a glaring reminder of the missing Towers. And with this year being the 10th anniversary of the event, the memories of all that surrounded that day came to the forefront of my thoughts.

We can all remember where we were on that day and what we were doing. Ten years ago, I was working in a middle school, meeting with a few teachers that morning. I was handing out portable FM Systems to teachers whose students had IEP’s indicating the need and briefing them on how to use the devices. Several moments later, the first plane hit the first tower. News spread quickly and as I walked down the hall, I caught fragments of whispered conversations about what was happening. I remember walking into the guidance office and joining other teachers who were listening to the local radio station in disbelief as the broadcaster described what was unfolding. Then the phone calls started coming in from worried parents who wanted to pick up their children. The school tried to reassure them that they were safe, however many parents came anyway. I wasn’t a parent yet, but if I were, I may have done the same thing.

Ten years have passed so quickly it seems. I still can’t believe it has been that long! Those of us with younger children are challenged to find the right way to explain to them what happened to our country that day. And we realize they are growing up in a world much different than the one we did.

I found the following links that offer some good advise for parents on how to talk to their children about 9/11:

http://news.brown.edu/features/2011/08/911kids

http://childparenting.about.com/b/2011/09/03/talking-to-your-kids-about-911.htm

http://parentingsquad.com/talking-to-kids-about-911

The following link is a downloadable curriculum for K-12 teachers on lessons and topics related to 9/11 and global safety and security:

http://sites.google.com/site/the4actioninitiative/