Empower your child's voice. Encourage him to sit down and write a letter to the President of the United States or to the men and women of this nation's military, expressing his thoughts, feelings and concerns about a day that will live in infamy. It is important for children to feel and be heard, even if it's simply worded in a card or letter. Writing is cathartic and helpful in healing so encourage your child to take the time to write letters of hope and healing for those military men and women who are still fighting against terrorism. Whether they are in the states or overseas, this nation's military will be gently reminded of what it is they are fighting for.
Introduce your child to the art of writing poetry. What makes poetry so special, aside from its poignant wording, is that it is an artful expression of your child's feelings. It is her soulful impression of the way she views the world. And whether her poem rhymes or not, writing a lyrical verse, possibly even a song, can encourage a child to turn her feelings into an artful masterpiece worth sharing. Encourage her to share her poem with others, including family members, friends, classmates and even the local newspaper. Taking the focus off a terrible tragedy and spotlighting her talent can help her turn a negative into a beautiful positive.
Ask your child to write about her memory of the day when terrorism struck the heart of this country. Encourage her to write a narrative of what she was thinking and feeling as it was happening. Whether it's fictional or not, her putting words to paper can help her to cope with her feelings, as well as to create from her imagination the kind of ending she hopes for.
Suggest your child write an essay on the subject. If your child is asked to write a formal or informal essay for an assignment at school, propose that he write about the 9/11 tragedy. Being a pivotal point in American history, this is an important, if not timely topic to tackle and one that may require some research. What makes this topic more significant, and possibly more interesting for the child, than other important parts of American history (i.e. the Civil War) is that he actually lived through it.