The bloody conflict between Israel and the Hamas group has resulted in hundreds of victims and wounded people and has received the attention of the whole world, while images of bombings and sad moments of bodies being pulled from the ruins, or those of kidnappings, are regularly circulating on social networks.
In Tel Aviv, CNN reveals that a school warned parents to take away their children's cellphones or access to social media because of the emotional toll these videos can have on them.
Experts say that parents can and should help children understand the images of war, violence or disturbing images of victims that are being broadcast on screens or smartphones.
Here's what parents should do:
1. Look at the images together
"I don't think we should shield children from the current events of the time and world we live in," says educator Laura Linn Knight. These are important conversations to have, but just as important is that parents check the facts and find reliable information.
2. Ask questions
There are many things happening in the world today, so you can ask the children to understand more about the situation: "What did you hear at school today?", "What are you seeing on the Internet?", "How did you feel when you saw those images”? These types of questions stimulate thinking, but also curiosity in children.
3. Flisni me fëmijët
Shumë herë, prindërit shmangin bisedat me fëmijët sepse mendojnë se e kanë diskutuar njëherë si çështje. Ekspertët thonë që është e rëndësishme që ju t’i riktheheni sërish bisedave, sidomos ato që kanë të bëjnë me luftën dhe gjërat që po ndodhin në botë.
4. “Më trego çfarë është e frikshme për ty”
Neuropsikologia Sanam Hafeez ka një tjetër qasje për prindërit. Kërkojini fëmijës t'ju tregojë imazhe ose video që ai/ajo i konsideron të frikshme në internet ose në mediat sociale. Pyetini ata se cilat elemente u duken të frikshme. Nëse fëmija i percepton këto video ose foto si të frikshme, pyetini pse janë tërhequr për t’i parë etj. Vetëm kështu prindërit do të kuptojnë ndjesitë e fëmijës.
5. Flisni për keqinformimin
"Explain to the child the meaning of 'gossip' and how people or entities benefit from it," says the psychologist. Talk about why some websites are intentionally malicious and spread inaccurate information, so caution is needed.
6. You are a child expert
As a parent, you should consider what makes your child feel comfortable when seeing a certain image or video on social media. You know your child better than anyone and what can cause emotional burden in him/her, so you set the filters!
Source: Today
