In light of the recent Paris attacks and continued fight against terrorism, parents and caregivers around the world are a little more vigilant and keeping a closer eye on their environment during their daily activities. When tragedies occur, how do parents and caregivers explain abstruse situations to innocent children?
Begin
by finding out what they already know. Never assume children know all details.
They may have walked by a room when adults were talking or listened to snippets
of the news. Launching into unnecessary detail may cause information to be
shared or exaggerated or cause undue fear.
With
children, the more lucid the explanation, the easier it is for everyone.
Analogies are a great form of communication for young children. Relate the occurring
tragedy to situations they encounter every day. Children should be informed
about their surroundings, never fear them. Acknowledge which emotion they could
be harboring and reassure them that they are secure with you. Children need to
know that they have safe places where no harm can come their way. Allow
children to ask questions before providing them with excess details. Too much
information can sometime cause more fear than security.
Prepare
children. In case of emergency, they need to know who to contact, where to go,
and that someone is there to protect them. Watching the news (age appropriate) with
children gives allowance for age appropriate dialog. The older they become, the
more detailed the conversation will be. In today’s world, the most important
thing a parent, or caregiver, can do is to monitor their surroundings and take
all necessary precautions for safety. Talking
to Kids About Tragedy
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