How to talk to kids about scary news
Caroline Bologna
January 7, 2021, 11:48 AM
As violent rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden delivered a televised address to the nation. “Think what our children watching television are thinking,” he said in his remarks.
That’s something many parents have considered while images of destruction, violence, and chaos flood the internet and TV airwaves. When there are major events happening in the world, kids tend to find out in some way, or at least can sense that something is going on ― especially today amid social distancing and remote learning. The bright side is that caregivers have the power to quell children’s concerns and help them feel safe and informed amid scary news events.
here. i got a group hug. he was scared. i said i won t leave you, i promise. damian, how does it feel to see this teacher? you told me earlier she saved your life? good. a hug feel pretty good? so how do kids like damian move on after being part of something so scary? dr. rachel busman is a clinical psychologist for the child mind institute. she s worked in the field for trauma response following hurricane sandy and the newtown tragedy. what kinds of things did these kids see in moore, oklahoma, and what kinds of help are they going to need to deal with that? the children are really seeing a variety of things. and some very scary images. and what we re seeing mental health providers doing right now in their emergency response is providing what s called psychological first aid, really trying to alleviate the immediate distress and focus on