What happened? How to discuss events happening with your child

[anncarson]

In today's society, we have the ability to see the news breaking. With abundant television, tablets, and mobile phones, we have instant access to news, the internet, and social media, keeping us informed about current events. At our fingertips, we can keep up with traffic updates over time, check election results at the end of a poll, watch live sporting events, prepare for the weather that will affect us, get the latest news on local events, and much more! But there is a downside to our constant exposure to new information…

it’s impossible to shield our children when tragedy strikes. Once something bad happens, people start posting, publishing, or sharing on social media. News anchors begin reporting on tragic events as information begins to flow into newsrooms—sometimes even interrupting regularly scheduled television programs to give you the latest updates. The coverage of tragic events can last for days or even weeks. Even if you can prevent your children from hearing these events at home, it’s difficult to prevent them from hearing about them from their friends, teachers, or other members of their community.