raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! Asparents,itisnaturalto wantto protectourchildrenfrom distres ing eventsin thenews.Seeing them upsetcan feeloverwhelm ing,and itisunderstandabletoavoiddif f i cult conversationsoutofconcern thattalking m ightled to m oreanxieties.However, openandsupportivediscusionscan help children feelsafeand reas ured, rem indingthem thattheydonothaveto carytheirworiesaloneandthatitis okayto askquestionsorfeelupset. Evenwhenchildrendonotfuly understand events,theyareoften aware thatsom ethingtroublingishappening. W ithoutguidance,theym ayim agine scenariosthatarem orefrightening or confusing. Discus yourchild’sconcernsopenly ratherthan saying‘there’snothing to woryabout’.Feeling woried attim esis norm al,keep talking and of ferreas urance.W em ightbetem ptedto‘öx’our children’swories,butsupportcom es from validating em otionsand exploring togetherhow wecanunderstandour wories. Useage-appropriatelanguage.Young children beneötfrom short,clear explanations,whileolderchildren and teenagersm aywantm oredetailand discusion.Bem indfulofexposureto newsand socialm edia,particularly repeated orgraphiccoverage. Talkabouthelpers,such asem ergency w orkers,doctors,teachers,com m unity m em bers,asthiscan of ferreas urance thateven in dif f i cultsituations,adultsare working to keep otherssafe.These discusionsdonotneedtoanswerevery question;theysim plyhelp children feel heard,supported,andnotalone. DrDanieleGreyisaClinicalPsychologist and theClinicalDirectorforthePurple HouseClinic,Birm ingham .Theclinicis based in Coleshiland of fersprivate psychologicalhealth care.Form ore inform ation visit www.purplehouseclinic.co.uk orcal01218207851. Big News,Litle Ears: Helping Children M ake Sense oftheNews.. 18
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