To those of you with children

[Klodomir]

Please remember that your kids need an explanation for what they are seeing on TV, and you may not be able to give them any.

I received the following useful links from a mailing list I'm on and thought I'd pass them on:

Talking with Kids About the News
http://www.talkingwithkids.org/television/twk-news.html

Helping Children Understand Crisis and Trauma
http://www.angelfire.com/biz3/news/v1art1.html

Talking to Children about Violence
http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/famlife/news/news4-21.htm

How to Talk to Your Children About the News
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/news.html

 

[Crzy4Bono]

Thank you very much for those links, klodomir. I have been struggling with how to handle this with my son since yesterday morning, and any advice helps.

I called my Dad yesterday to ask him how to handle this, and he said honey, i have no idea. i never had to explain anything like this to you guys.

So sad.

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She's gonna dream up a world she wants to live in / She's gonna dream out loud.
Visit my web page at www.u2page.com

 

[dream wanderer]

I work part time at one elementary school and we weren't allowed to talk about it in front of the kids...we live close to DC and many of them have parents and family members who work in DC and the principal didn't want panic and hysteria among the children...we were in lock down and all I could say to the little kids as they asked "Why can't we go outside...its such a beautiful day?" All I could say was 'the principal wants you to stay inside today"...

However at my 10 year old's school (in the same system) they were allowed to talk about it...and when I picked up my son at school...he was eager to talk....I simply answered his questions as best I could..

I told him how I felt when Kennedy was assassinated (I was only five) and when the Challenger exploded...how scared and shocked I felt...and at one time my heart skipped several beats yesterday when CNN went out for about 20 seconds...I remember thinking "I hope they haven't got the media!" But they came back...

Be honest...be reassuring. I find myself watching Peter Jennings on ABC...the man has a comforting way about it and he doesn't senstionalize the way other journalists do...instead of saying things like "The Pentagon is in flames!" he woudl say "One corner of that massive building has collapsed"....even adults need honesty...but with a comforting and reasurring ring to it...

dream wanderer