PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The headlines, stories and heartbreak in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Minneapolis are reverberating across the nation.

Millions of children went to school on Thursday as usual. Parents had to let them go.

What do you say to your kids about such a violent act?

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Licensed professional counselor Mark O'Dwyer of Merakey offered advice for parents navigating these conversations.

"Check yourself to make sure that you're not overly anxious and listen well. What's their understanding of the story?" said O'Dwyer. "Then third, remind them of all the things that are in place for them to be safe."

Then there's a harrowing image of a parent running toward the crime scene. It's something that all parents can resonate with, but would never want to experience.

"It's OK to share that you're a little scared, and it's hard for you too to see these images," said Darcy Krause, a social worker, child grief expert, and CEO of Grieve to Thrive.

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She says it's important to open the conversation in an age-appropriate way, head-on.

"Years ago, I would say help them avoid the news. But in our digital age, kids are seeing it everywhere," she says.