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Series / Imprint
Taming Your Child’s Tension over Terrorism
The following release is provided for our media friends. For additional information, email publicity@impactpublishers.com.
Taming Your Child’s Tension over Terrorism
We can’t get away from it. Everyone is touched by the brutality of terrorism and war, especially when it happens in our own homeland. Turn on the TV or the radio and twenty-four-hours-a-day the dramatic, detailed reality of war or a terrorist attack is analyzed and reported exhaustively. It actually does exhaust the mind, spirit and body. Being too close to the incident can overwhelm.
What to do?
- Don’t be surprised that you and your daily routine are upset. Strong feelings may surface: anger, guilt, frustration, fear, helplessness, desire for revenge.
- Don’t deny what you are feeling. Write out your thoughts and feelings. Share them with someone.
- Be positive as much as possible. Try to be realistic about how much personal danger you might be facing as opposed to worry about “what if.”
- Carefully limit how much you are exposed to the media in all forms (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines).
- Focus on the positive, safe aspects of your life and take comfort in them.
- Find strength and comfort in friends and family. Many people have discovered the comfort and value of reaching out to support groups or trained professionals.
Children are even more vulnerable. They can’t cope like adults. They hear the same media reports and then see adults worried and upset. There’s a double impact on them.
What to do?
- Screen how much media exposure there is, including what you say and how much you say.
- Be protective. Maintain a quiet, safe routine.
- Let children talk about what they know and feel. Answer their questions briefly and honestly.
- Reassure children that their family and country are still there to keep them safe.
- Engage in activities and play that help children laugh and relieve tension.
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Adapted from The Stress Owner’s Manual: Meaning, Balance & Health in Your Life (2nd Edition), by Ed Boenisch, Ph.D. and C. Michele Haney, Ph.D. Available at online and local bookstores or directly from Impact Publishers, PO Box 6016, Atascadero, CA 93423-6016, www.impactpublishers.com or phone 1-800-246-7228.
