Chardon Shootings and Parents' Fears: Moms Talk

After Monday's in Chardon, there's been a lot of talking.

About guns. About bullying. About how to talk about all of this with your children. About how the children are coping and .

Today, let's talk about you, the parents. How are you doing?

Let's face it. This story pushes the Worst Nightmare Button. You see your child off to school, they never come home again.

You think about what the parents of the children who were killed saw, heard and felt that day. And their continued suffering as each day, they wake up to the reality that their child is dead. It's heart-wringing levels of empathy.

How do you balance the fear with the reality of life going on? Your children will not be in your sights 24/7 and there's no such thing as total safety. You have to teach them to live in that world, to be brave but smart, to be mindful but not fearful. Quite a task.

How do you comfort yourself, and your fellow parents, in emotional times like this?

Joining us, as always, is our fantastic Moms Council.

 is a freelance reporter who has worked with Patch and is also a communications professional. She is a first-time mom of a son born in 2010.

 works in public relations. She has a daughter, Amara. Monina is also a member of the Disney Moms Panel, one of 15 moms selected nationwide, advising people online about planning Disney vacations.

 is a mom of four children ages 6 and under with her husband, Bill. Their fourth child, Colette, arrived Jan. 10. Stephanie also works part-time.

 is a native of New Jersey. She is a marketing professional who has worked in advertising, market research, vending and equipment companies. She and her husband live in Avon with their two children.

 is a mom to a Girl Scout and lives in Avon.

 is the newest member of the  and past president of Avon Early Childhood PTA. She will also be blogging for Avon Patch. If you're a parent and want to share your experiences raising children in Avon, you, too, can .