Letter from the Director!

Dear Parents,

Although most experts agree that very young children should be shielded from news stories, the world we are experiencing today makes that an almost impossible feat. Discussing current events offers parents a chance to teach and a chance for children to learn, and addressing current events with kids can be rewarding and challenging at the same time. Adults must weigh teaching kids about the world by protecting them from the negativity of that world.

Often, children see and hear things that can be confusing and alarming, whether on the TV, at school, or in real life situations. This can be very scary to children. What can you do when your young child is exposed to disturbing news? Take the time to find out what your child is thinking. Discuss their feelings with them. Reassure your child that they are safe and explain things to them in simple terms rather than giving too many details. Make sure that you are honest about your own feelings with your child and try to share examples of positive outcomes about certain scary events.

I think we can all agree that the past several months have been very overwhelming thanks to social media and 24 hour news cycles; but as caregivers, our main responsibility is to ensure that our children are safe, not only physically but also emotionally as well.

Kindly,

Jennifer Perdue

Ivy Academy West Director