Crime & Safety
How Do You Talk to Your Kids About Scary News?
It's often not easy for parents to talk to their children about highly publicized tragedies and violence, especially those that affect other kids, like Friday's mass shooting in Connecticut. Here are some suggestions from PBS and Parenting Mag
It's likely that many family conversations in the next few days will be dominated by the horrifiying and tragic news of Friday's shooting in Newtown, Conn.
Such discussions can be especially challenging when they include children who will be off at an elementary school of their own come Monday morning.
The world is a complex place, but parents can take measures to reassure kids who have questions about violent or scary events in the news.
Find out what's happening in El Cerritowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Parents should start by finding out what their kids know and ask questions to gauge their feelings about the news, according to PBS and Parenting Magazine.
Both publications also suggest parents should keep their discussions about scary news simple.
Find out what's happening in El Cerritowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"Give children the information they need to know in a way that makes sense to them," PBS writes on its parenting site. "At times, a few sentences are enough."
Parents should also offer reassurance and use frightening news as an experience to teach, PBS and Parenting Magazine report.
Read more:
- PBS: Talking With Kids About News: Strategies for Talking and Listening
- Parenting Magazine: 5 Tips on Talking to Kids About Scary News
If you have young kids, how do you handle the topic of tragic, violent or scary news? We'd like to know in the comments.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
