Helping Children Deal With News Traumaby Teresa McEntire | More from this Blogger 23 Jan 2007 08:40 PM Every time you turn on the news you are confronted with stories of car crashes, murders, bombings, or the latest natural catastrophe. As adults we can distance ourselves from the tragedies playing out on the television screen. But for children the news can be confusing and scary. The kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, from her bedroom, received a lot of news coverage. My 6-year-old cousin saw some of the footage. As a result she was scared to sleep in her own room alone. For months she had to sleep in her older brother's room, because she felt safer. Her parents did not realize that the news footage would have such a traumatic impact upon her. Children often take the news and personalize it. They don't understand that just like other shows the news uses techniques as well as special effects to dramatize events. Children need to realize that the news shows all of the worst events and crimes. They rarely focus on all of the good things that are happening or all of the people who are safe. Dr. Judith Myers-Walls of Purdue University explains that "When violence, war and disasters hit the news, [parents should] encourage children to talk about their fears and concerns, and give them ideas of action that they can take to feel in control." You can discuss family plans if a disaster happens. You can review the rules involving strangers. It is also a good idea to discuss what you are doing to protect your family. Dr. Myers-Walls also suggests that parents do not allow their children to watch disturbing images in the news. Obviously in some cases children are going to learn about events. If they come to you with questions then answer them the best you can. You are in control of what your child watches and know how much and what they can handle. There is no need for a child to watch news that is too intense. By screening what your child sees and discussing events when they arise you can help ensure that your child is able to cope with the trauma they see in the news. See these related blogs: 9-11 Changed the Way We Look at the World Preparing Kids For an Unsafe World Learn more about Teresa McEntire  Teresa McEntire grew up in Utah the oldest of four children. She currently lives in Kuna, Idaho, near Boise. She and her husband Gene have been married for almost ten years. Relevantparenting tags User Comments  Katie-Anne Gustafsson (604) 24 Jan 2007 06:18 AMThis is so true. We don't have the news on whilst our little ones are around because we don't know how much they are listening/understand. Unfortunately one set of grandparents isn't so vigilant and they've learned to their cost how kids take what they overhear and blow it out of proportion through lack of real understanding on how to process the information. The topic that was overhead was about the bird flu and it was months before my then 5 year old would even go into the garden if there was a bird there because he didn't want to die. I didn't think I had to tell them to monitor what they watched when he was around - that was my mistake! Katie-Anne Community Tags media, news Discuss this article
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