April 19, 2007

As new pictures and videos emerge, parents should be prepared to talk with their kids about the shooting

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – As news outlets reveal more and more about the perpetrator of the Virginia Tech tragedy, parents of younger kids may be worried about the impact of the frightening photos and video on their children.

“The images from the day of the massacre and from the package sent to NBC are disturbing to everyone, but to kids especially,” said Common Sense Media CEO Jim Steyer. “With Web sites, television stations and newspapers devoting considerable coverage to the event, it’s going to be virtually impossible to avoid those images over the course of the next several days. As parents, we need to be aware that a lot of kids will find this media coverage traumatic, and do our best both to prevent kids from seeing coverage that will frighten them, and to comfort them if they’ve seen something scary.”

To help parents deal with media coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting, Common Sense offers the following tips:

• Reassure your kids that they're safe, but try not to dismiss their fears as unimportant. It helps to acknowledge their concerns while creating a calm perspective. Younger children in particular are going to be fearful and it is important for parents to display a sense of calmness and to listen to their children's fears and help them process them.
• Ask your kids what they know and what upsets or scares them. Start by finding out what they've heard and ask them where they got their information. If it's inaccurate, correct it.
• Give age-appropriate information. Elementary school-aged children don't need to see the news, hear it on the radio, or see pictures in the newspapers. Given today's 24/7 media environment, that is a difficult task for parents. Kids are likely to see or hear these images repeatedly over the coming days and on every platform imaginable.
• For older children and teens, let them know that you are there for them to listen and to discuss their anxieties and fears. Ongoing communication and dialog is paramount. Talk honestly about school violence and tell them what you think so they don't feel like their feelings are unique.