Many Mississippi State students, in addition to having academic commitments, are also parents. If not parents, then most have contact with children by way of baby-sitting or younger siblings.
With the amount of news coverage devoted to crimes and war, children are more aware of violence than previous generations. Especially with the current war with Iraq and the amount of access given to the media, children are seeing violent images of soldiers dying, bombs exploding and buildings falling.
Almost everyday last week, words and images of war appeared on the front page of The Clarion Ledger. Yesterday’s edition had a picture of a Marine pointing his rifle at a portrait of Saddam Hussein. On Saturday, there was a picture of a woman and her two children fleeing the Iraqi town of Basra as it burned behind them.
As a psychology major, I was interested in what happens to children who see these violent images. After doing a bit of research, I discovered some interesting things.
Exposure to frightening events on TV affects children’s lives. They do not have to witness or experience an event to be affected by it. Images resonate in children’s minds. Children often come away from television with a worldview based on hostility and danger because they lack the resources and experiences adults possess to put events in context.
Numerous studies found that after viewing news, children feel a higher level of anxiety. This is demonstrated through feelings of vulnerability and nervousness. Anxiety is often characterized by a feeling that something will happen to them or their family. It can interfere with a child’s schoolwork, play and sleep.
However, parents should not shield children from the news. Even small children can sense something is amiss in the family. Tension about a serial killer in their hometown or the threat of chemical and biological weapons are a few examples.
Older children will hear conversations at school among their peers or older siblings about what is going on. If an event is hidden from them, it will lead to distrust and more anxiety.
Children are concerned about what will happen to them directly or to their families. Dr. Lawrence Balter, a psychology professor at New York University, suggests keeping kids informed of all steps being taken to help civilians, survivors or victims. Additional steps he recommends include inviting open communication from them about their fears and telling them that what they are feeling is normal. Parents should talk to children and let them watch the news with their supervision.
With late-breaking news reports, it is difficult to shield children from distressing news. Parents must make sure their children understand the news and make more time for them as events unfold. It is difficult to change society, but people can change society’s impact on themselves and their family. The best way to accomplish this is through communication.
JanaZ Hatcher is a junior political science and psychology major.