WASHINGTON 鈥� In the aftermath of last week鈥檚 deadly attacks in Paris, parents may be聽struggling with how to tackle the subject with their children.
Parenting blogger Leslie Morgan Steiner, of , shared some tips in an interview with WTOP on how to reassure a concerned child.
鈥淎ssume that your kids have heard about this 鈥� the news is everywhere,鈥� she聽says. 鈥淩emember that kids are kids, and they process information in very different ways than adults, and stuff that can be disturbing for us can truly be traumatic for kids.鈥�
In some cases, it may be best to turn off the television or radio to avoid overly upsetting content. However, Steiner says it is important to tell children the truth about what鈥檚 happening 鈥� in simple terms that they can understand.
鈥淵ou have to find that balance between not talking to them at all, and protecting them from too much 鈥� especially repeat graphic information,鈥� she says.
Reassure kids that these attacks are actually rare. And simply checking in with your children, to listen to what they鈥檝e heard, is a good way to get a feel for their concerns.
鈥淚t鈥檚 actually far worse if we maintain what experts call the 鈥榗ycle of silence,鈥� where kids know something鈥檚 wrong, but the adults in their lives refuse to talk to them about it,鈥� Steiner explains.
