Children are constantly informing themselves, from early ages on, about the surrounding world they live in. The sources they come to rely on are different and varied: parents, teachers, friends and the various forms of mass-media. As parents we must pay close attention to the information that they are gaining from the TV, radio and internet. These medias are a valuable informational source but we have to balance that fact with the numerous occasions that the news can be aggressive, and characterized by violence and destruction. Our young people are taking it all in! News stories that are related to natural catastrophes or kidnappings, homicides, attacks of theorists groups, school violence or amorous relationships of politicians can create confusion in a child's mind.
This confusion can develop into a misinformed perception of our society. We don't want our youth to develop the perception that their world is a hostile unsafe place! They already live in world that is dominated by a low level of fear regarding unfamiliar people, situations and events. Can we shelter our young people from all of the bad news that is occurring around them? Probably not. In the world that they live in, news is immediate. They have access to it all, and while we maybe able to control what information enters our homes on a daily basis, it is not possible to control the information that they are exposed to when at school or otherwise away from home.
Besides, complete isolation from current information is not the answer either. That creates an equally distorted perception of the world as well. As a parent you have to think about how to counter balance the effect this sort of news and information, as well as the images that go with them, have on our children. We know we can't control everything that our little ones are exposed to, so the easiest way to proactively deal with this is through frequent discussions and general conversation. If we are able to discuss with them what they are hearing and seeing happening around them, our young people will in time, develop the abilities and experiences that will help them avoid the misperception that the world is out to get them!
We know that for the most part children experience a low level sense of apprehension about the world they live in as it is, due to their limited life experiences. Much of today's attention getting headlines on TV and in print, only reinforce for them that the world is a scary place! How then can we as parents address this type of on going issue and assist our children in developing a more balanced view of their world?
Some practical tips:
- Get your child used to reading books and magazines in their age range and to watch television shows of the same nature. They typically are less aggressive and violent. (Some shows also incorporate educational themes with in the show!)
- Talk to them about carefully evaluating the information that they hear about or see on TV. News clips are designed to get attention and they do, especially children. Talk about how the news story is presented, and that just because something is presented in a certain way, does not make it true or relevant in their world.
- Talk about all news events. If possible, find the pro-social stories as well to discuss. The bad news gets the headlines, but we can usually find something positive in the news as well.
- Try to identify how your child interprets the news. What are the aspects of the story does the child have questions or concerns about.
This gives you some insight as to how your young person processes the information that they hear. (The questions and concerns that they express give you an idea of the things that are creating stress and anxiety for them!) If you consider the show as inappropriate for your child, then just turn off the TV. You are in control of your household!
But remember this is just a momentary solution! When they are not with us, we can not shelter them from the ugliness of the world around them, but we can help them keep it in perspective and help them develop a mind set that encourages them to carefully evaluate the information that they are receiving and the source.
Mr. Don as he is known to his students and clients, is the founder of Safe Kidz Educational Servides. Safe Kidz was founded on the premise that parents and other concerned adults are in the best position to teach young people how to increase their odds of being safe in an uncertain world.
Safe in the sense that our young people are prepared to deal with the physical and psychological challenges that will face them as they make their way in the world.
Safe Kidz Educational Services offers many programs designed to assist todays busy families in moving back on to the path of health, wellness and personal safety. Our programs are web based educational and specifically designed to work for busy family's. This education is provided through informative, interactive lessons, virtual exercises, and through the practical integration of specific skills into your daily life.
Not ready to take that step just yet? Feel free to visit our Informational Centers for solid information that you can use right now to be better prepared to assist your loved ones!
Feel free to contact us at http://www.safekidz.us/blog or don@safekidz.us for further information.
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