VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Whether to talk to children about war or how to go about it is something on parents’ minds as we learn about the violent acts in Israel.
Reema Sylva-Senette is a Virginia Beach mother who’s also Palestinian-American. She has family living in the war zone. She says she fortunately has a psychology degree, so she has training on how to talk to her own children about sensitive topics.
“I have to tell my 4-year-old in simple terms, ‘You know, this is not good; people don’t like each other. This is why this is happening,'” described Sylva-Senette. "My 8-year-old is very intelligent, so I have the straightforward conversations, but I don’t go in-depth."
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She wants others to know, "It's traumatizing for both sides.”
Counselor Paul Fink with Reboot: Mind, Body, Health says while age and maturity should be taken into account, he thinks it’s best for parents to be proactive.
“I often recommend asking your child, or young adult in that case, too, what they already know and what questions they have,” Fink stated. “We don’t want to assume they’ve heard everything or expose them to more things than are necessary in terms of where they are trying to understand what often is a very complex issue.”
He suggests watching parts of the news together or telling your child what you saw on the news and limiting their exposure.
Watch previous coverage: Portsmouth-based Mercy Chefs provides aid to Middle East following Hamas attacks
“I know families that leave a T.V. on or radio on, and having that consistent information can be too much,” said Fink.
Pointing out the people who are helping in the situation can also be a good idea, he says. If the child is older, parents could encourage them to write their state leaders, and if they’re younger, Fink says parents should demonstrate ways they can show kindness in their part of the world.
Recently, Virginia Beach City Public Schools sent an e-mail to parents letting them know they have a mental health team ready to help students. They also offered some resources and tips on age-appropriate ways to talk to children. Click here for more information.
