Talking with children about violence

The tragic headlines today about the school shooting in Finland are the tip of a media iceberg that will crowd television, radio, print and digital media for the next several days. Even when a terrifying school event occurs on the other side of the world, it reaches the homes, schools and places of play for millions of children. Adults are confronted with what to say to young people about the event, and about the broader ideas of violence that are brought up by news coverage.

The following guidance is from the guidelines of the National Education Association (NEA):

Your child watches a newscast that contains a lot of violence.

Watching the news and other media with your child enables you to discuss current events like war and other conflicts, and can provide an opportunity to reinforce the consequences of violence and to assure your child that they are safe. Ask your child what she’s heard about it and how she feels about it. Listen carefully to encourage your child’s full expression of feelings and thoughts. Answer any questions she has. Don’t overwhelm a child with information. Mainly, you want to make sure you have an opportunity to answer questions and provide comfort.

Also, take care to reassure her that you and school officials will do your best to assure his or her safety. And let your child know you’re available if she wants to talk more at another time.

Even if you don’t see your child watching coverage of a major violent event, don’t ignore it. If there’s a major story in the news, especially one involving children, your child probably knows about it.