How to talk to your Child about Current Events?
The third grade parent meeting discussed this question in a recent parent meeting. Below is an excerpt from Clare Stansberry's class email.
A major question that was asked our recent parent meeting, and that some of you may have experienced, was "how do we handle current events?" It's such a rich question, and it is one that the children are asking as well. They want to know the world better, and are bound to encounter some of the darker edges of the world.
Baseline to this question: proceed with caution. We want to be exceedingly careful in how we expose children to current events, and erring on the side of overprotective at this age is reasonable.
I think there are two major considerations for exposing children to some of these things. First, we must consider their ability to comprehend the event. The children's world is still mostly in the realm of the family unit. If they have family (who they know well) in faraway places, their sense of the world is that we have family here and there. Distance, time, and space are all still abstract for the children, so we must be careful in how we expose them to things. In their minds, Seattle and Switzerland may be equally distant. When they hear about things that are far away, those things can feel very close to home. Relating things far away to events close to home can help ground the children in reality. I would use this strategy when children hear about things incidentally, and come home asking about distant events. Acknowledging and then changing the subject can also help to assuage their curiosity.
The second consideration is whether their knowledge of this event causes them fear or anxiety. Children in the 9th year still tend toward the view that the world is good, and we want to foster their interest in the world without causing undue fear. Teaching children to be worried about cars is one thing; teaching them to be worried about political events around the world is quite another. We want their worries to be in proportion to their lives and immediately actionable. By this, I mean that we want them to be able to do something in the community when they feel anxious. If they are wondering about people going hungry, let them pick out a can of food each time you go to the store to donate to the food bank. If they are worried about wildlife, look for ways to care for the flora and fauna in your neighborhood. Find ways that work for you and your family to transform these fears about the world into action. We want the children to form a direct relationship with the world, and not shy away from it because they are afraid.
If you are finding that your child is asking questions about current events, or hears about them from siblings or friends, turn first to your child and check in with them. Connect with them about their own lives and their concerns. Part of gaining orientation in the world is learning to appreciate your own perspective. When we take the children's thoughts and feelings seriously, they get the benefit of connecting with and feeling affirmed by the love of those around them. The broader world has many difficult situations in it, and what we want first is that the children take an interest world despite its challenges. By giving them some protection and loving guidance, we keep their rich, imaginative, sensitive selves open to new experiences.
Submitted by Clare Stansberry, Grade 3 Teacher
