Guns are now the leading cause of death for children in America. Each tragedy can be visceral, whether it’s in your community or across the country. And it’s especially heartbreaking when your kid voices that fear directly, as our listener Allison recently experienced. On this episode of How To!, co-host Amanda Ripley brings in Melinda Wenner Moyer. Melinda is an author and science journalist with years covering gun violence and parenting issues. She’s also the author of the substack, Is My Kid the Asshole? where she shares science-based approaches to lower the possibility of gun violence, help kids feel safe, and, ultimately, change the environment. 

If you liked this episode, check out: “My Kid’s Anxiety Is Giving ME Anxiety! How Do I Fix This?”

Do you wonder how best to use your time? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on How To!. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus to help support our work.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices