How Are You Approaching This with Children in Harrison? [POLL]

On his website, the Fred Rogers Company, Mr. Rogers has a page about tragic events in the news. Just watching the short video included there is calming as well as informative for adults.

Rogers offers context for what children are feeling and then tips for helping them cope and learn. For example:

The way that news is presented on television can be quite confusing for a young child. The same video segment may be shown over and over again through the day, as if each showing was a different event. Someone who has died turns up alive and then dies again and again. Children often become very anxious since they don’t understand much about videotape replays, closeups, and camera angles. 

When children are scared and anxious, they might become more dependent, clingy, and afraid to go to bed at night. Whining, aggressive behavior, or toilet "accidents" may be their way of asking for more comfort from the important adults in their lives. Little by little, as the adults around them become more confident, hopeful and secure, our children probably will, too.

Angry feelings are part of being human, especially when we feel powerless. One of the most important messages we can give our children is, "It's okay to be angry, but it's not okay to hurt ourselves or others."  Besides giving children the right to their anger, we can help them find constructive things to do with their feelings.

What techniques are Harrison parents using while the dimensions of the Newtown elementary school massacre unfold? Please take our poll and tell us in the comments.