TALKING to KIDS about TERROR Attacks? It is almost unavoidable that children will hear or see information related to events such as the terror attacks in Nice, France. Keep in mind they often pick things up from social media, YouTube, and TV news promos (especially during school holidays)... Some Tips: 1. Avoid child access to visual details of the event (such as on the constantly streaming news). Young kids can't distinguish time, distance and nationality - they see such footage and often think it is happening right here! 2. Avoid explanations that make them feel unsafe (don't blame terrorists, ethnicities, religions, crazy people, sick people, etc...) All this does is make kids afraid of 'big blocks' of their world... 3. Realise that there is no good, easy explanation for such behaviour (I am still dumbfounded and reeling to make sense of it!!!). It's OK to say this to your kids... 4. So what do we tell our kids? Just the simple truth... Some very confused people did a terrible thing today... They hurt other people because they believed things that were not true... They believed some people are better than others... They believed they were right and everyone else was wrong... They believed the way you solve your problems is with anger, hatred and violence...
These things are never true... that's why bullying is wrong... that's why racism is wrong... that's why hurting people just because they are different is wrong... So make sure you stand up for what is right, everyday, in everyway, for everyone...
If we think right - believe truth - better behaviour will always follow...
