The main sources of dread were television, the internet, and other news outlets. Fortunately, 90% of parents with kids under 18 said they know what kind of digital media their kids are seeing.
Parents may be aware of the occasionally detrimental effects that media, including television, can have on a child’s sense of wellbeing. To lessen such exposure, they might even limit screen time. However, chatting with your own children is the most crucial step in safeguarding their mental health.
These days, we face many difficulties, and our children are aware of our own concerns and apprehensions. More than three-fourths of parents, according to surveys, say that at least one event in the previous year affected their child’s sense of safety.
The survey found that kids were exposed to distressing topics in several ways:
How to begin the conversation
It might be challenging to talk with your children about controversial topics. Being a grownup and dealing with a pandemic and uncertain economic times is difficult enough. It might be painful to try to comprehend how your children relate to what is happening, especially if they are having trouble adjusting to “the new normal.”
Start by simply inquiring about what your children have heard about the situation and their opinions. Parents can start a dialogue by asking the following opening questions:
- Have you recently heard any news that startled you?
- What are you heard about that may be distressing?
- What are your thoughts on these recent events?
- What causes these events, in your opinion?
- What, in your opinion, should we do about it?
Actively listening to your kids during the dialogue is the key. You are the best person to understand your children, so pay close attention to any tiny signs of pain or perplexity so you can figure out the source of their anxiety.
Continue to probe your child’s explanation of what they believe is happening by probing further with more questions while you listen to what they have to say. To make sure you comprehend their comments, repeat their responses back. If your youngster mentions people fighting, for instance, you can respond, “I can tell the news of people fighting really jumped out to you. What emotions do those occurrences evoke in you?
Keep the conversation as simple and direct as you can. Ask your children if they have any questions about the subject as you learn more about it. Try to answer them calmly and factually.
Some kids have trouble describing what they’re experiencing because the emotions associated with it are strong. as recommendations for parents on how they can help kids articulate what they feel.
Finding ways to schedule their the exposure to news
A few years ago, restricting how much time a child should spend watching television was the largest difficulty facing parents. Nowadays, news is accessible through websites and social media. If your children have access to computers or mobile devices, they are probably seeing some form of news, and it isn’t always reliable or objective.
Media can improve one’s comprehension of daily life when handled carefully. The problem is that false or ominous news might have a lasting impression on your children.
Being the “gatekeeper of media” for your children and preserving their privacy online is one of the most difficult but crucial tasks you have as a parent in today’s world. Start by using a virtual private network, or VPN. VPN services offer privacy by concealing your kids’ whereabouts and online activities. But that only gives a partial view.
Redirecting your children away from media after defining how it should be used in your home is essential, especially when bad news is amplified. For kids to develop a feeling of normalcy, structure is essential. By engaging them in enjoyable activities like video chatting with friends or working on a puzzle along with parents, parents can encourage their kids to create their own schedules.
While it is your responsibility as a parent to put in place a system that safeguards your children’s privacy and sense of security, it is a good idea to teach them how to be proactive with regard to digital security. All children should be aware of some of the internet’s risks and understand that not all of what they read or see online is accurate. They must also exercise caution when around others because not everyone who appears in an online profile is who they claim to be.
Handling online misinformation
As previously indicated, the prevalence of false information and unfounded conspiracies paints a misleading picture for children. You will have a better understanding of what kind of information your children learned about it if you talk to them frequently about their ideas and current events. Giving your children the means to challenge the concepts they are exposed to may help them distinguish between fact and fiction and alleviate their worry.
You can cooperate to handle the matter if your youngster brings up a subject and uses false information. Ask your children if they think the facts are correct. then jointly raise the following queries about the “news”:
Who published it?
Who are they hoping will see it?
Who gains from this post and/or who could it hurt?
Is the news being reported by a trustworthy source?
The questions will eventually stick if you go through the process with your children several times, and they will develop greater discernment when presented with inaccurate news. It’s crucial to provide kids with a few reliable news sources so they may fact-check any worries they have about something, like:
- Websites with the.gov or.edu extensions
- National Geographic and Nature are two examples of science resources.
- your family-approved news sources
- A full list of news websites that your children can visit is available on CommonSense.org.
When it comes to parenting, there is no such thing as perfection. Even while having challenging conversations with your children can be uncomfortable, doing so has many advantages. You can know how compassionate and bright your children are when you have difficult conversations with them. Even though kids may be tense or worried, they may manage their anxieties and create constructive coping mechanisms with your love, support, and advice. The chats will also help you two get to know one another better and deepen your relationship.