From Fear to Compassion: A Parent’s Guide to Processing & Sharing the Bondi Mass Shooting Tragedy

In the wake of the devastating mass shooting at Bondi Beach, many parents are struggling with their own fear while trying to navigate difficult conversations with their children. How do we explain such violence? How do we manage the influx of terrifying news? And most importantly, how do we ensure our children feel safe without demonizing the world around them?

In this special public service episode, Harry and Priya sit down less than 12 hours after the attack to offer a growth-oriented perspective on processing this tragedy. Drawing on Priya’s experience with active shooter drills in the US and Harry’s local perspective in Sydney, they discuss how parents can move from helplessness and rage toward compassion and leadership.

In this episode, we cover:

Reframing "Good vs. Evil":

- Why dichotomizing people into "bad" and "good" creates more division, and how to use the "Ladder of Downfall" to explain human behavior to children.

Age-Appropriate Conversations:

- Under 7: Why you should shield them from the news and focus on emotional safety.

- Ages 8-10: How to move beyond black-and-white thinking and use simple analogies (like school bullying) to build moral frameworks.

- Teens: Engaging in the "bigger questions" about humanity and society.

Managing the Media:

- Why the news is designed to inflame fear and why you—not the TV/news/socials/reports/friends—should be your child’s primary source of information.

Defining True Safety:

- Understanding the difference between physical danger and the internal feeling of safety.

Humanity at its Best:

- Focusing on the heroic bystander who disarmed a gunman without lethal force, proving that compassion exists even in the darkest moments.

Note: This episode contains discussions about a recent mass casualty event. Please listen with care.