|
|
 
|
Terrorism & Kids:
|
 |
Unsure how to answer your child's difficult questions about terrorism and war? Here are some ideas from the book, "Terrorism and Kids: Comforting Your Child" by Fern Reiss. Available at bookstores, libraries, or direct from TerrorismAndKids.com.
Why did this happen?
Explain that there are horrible people in the world. Stress that there aren't very many - you don't want your child to feel more scared than she has to. But tell her that every so often, there's a horrible person who does some terrible thing. If your child is old enough to know any history, you might take this opportunity to talk to her about other horrible people who have lived in the past, such as Hitler. The underlying message is that, sometimes, terrible people do horrible things.
If your child has has any positive experiences with the police (some children are scared of policemen) you can explain that we have police (and governments, and laws, and jails) to protect good citizens from these few horrible people. The important thing is to make sure your child understands that most people are good and behave nicely to each other, and that horrible people are rare.
Be sure you use the word "horrible" or "terrible" in referring to the perpetrators, rather than the word "bad." Your children may have been called "bad" after being naughty, and you need to draw a strong distinction for them between being mischievous and being a terrorist.
Will it happen here?
Remind your child that, until now, nothing bad has ever happened where you live, if that's true. Tell your child that in general, such terrible things hardly ever happen.
Couch it in personal terms: "Grandma and Grandpa grew up here and nothing bad happened here; I grew up here and nothing bad happened; and I don't think anything bad will happen here."
Remind your child that it is your job, as a parent, to make sure that they stay safe. "Mommy and Daddy will do everything we have to keep us all safe and together."
Are bombs going to fall on us?
Tell your child that in the entire 200+ year history of America, since your great, great, great, great, great, grandfather was alive, no bombs have fallen on the US mainland. (In talking to a child old enough to know about Pearl Harbor, remind them that that was an attack on a military base; nobody's home was bombed.)
Reiterate that you will keep your child and family safe.
In the event that war erupts, tell your child that you have a safe place to go if it becomes necessary, where bombs cannot land (that is, a bomb shelter). You might want to tell your child that going to the safe place will be like a camping trip, and you will bring food, sleeping bags, and favorite toys with you. Remind her that your whole family will be together.
("Terrorism & Kids: Comforting Your Child" is available at your local bookstore or public library, or direct from TerrorismAndKids.com.)
|
Reproduction of material
from any How to Make a Family
pages without written permission is strictly prohibited |
