This might include empathising with young children under the age of seven by saying something like: “I know you really want to watch the news, but some media can report events that are not safe for you to hear.”įor an older child, it could be: “I am happy for you to watch the ‘good news’ stories but other events that are televised we need to watch together.” This can help teach children to regulate their emotions, by expressing themselves when they see things that are upsetting. CHAT ABOUT ITĪ perfect opportunity to support children to know more about the world, without exposing them to the potential downside of the news, is to teach them about why you need to censor their viewing. Setting a viewing limit of 30-60 minutes before encouraging children to get up and do something else is important. However, we do know it’s important for children to take a break from the coverage. There is no magic timeframe for parents to introduce their children to news and current affairs, however it is important that we consider not just the age, but the maturity and understanding levels of the individual child. However, they are also capable of reasoning and understanding statistical explanations, which can provide reassurance and alleviate their anxieties. They may project such events into the future and worry about potential risks. Teenagers aged 13 and older tend to exhibit heightened emotional responses to distressing events, often experiencing fear and deep concern for their and their family’s safety. They are increasingly capable of empathising with victims, and may get anxious about the safety of themselves and their family when encountering distressing stories. They are likely to be greatly disturbed by images depicting suffering, crying, or violence.īetween seven to 12, children tend to grasp that news reports convey events that have already taken place. GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHTĪccording to psychological therapist Annie Gurton, different age groups require different strategies when it comes to consuming news and current affairs:Ĭhildren under the age of seven may perceive televised events as live occurrences, leading them to believe traumatic incidents are recurring when they see repeated broadcasts. However, due to their age, they are able to have a greater understanding of different perspectives. Older teens, meanwhile, generally gain much of their news content from the Internet and social media, meaning some parents are not aware of how much, or what, they are exposed to. This is because children under the age of seven do not have the brain function to mentally manipulate information, and can’t see things from another point of view. EVEN SUBTLE EXPOSURE NEEDS TO BE MONITOREDĮven when children are playing in the background, if adults have the news on, children can be listening in.Ĭhildren under the age of seven might not understand the content, which can cause confusion, therefore raising worry and anxiety. Researchers from the study even found children’s symptoms are like a trauma response - including intruding thoughts (memories that pop into a child’s head, nightmares, repeated discussion around events), avoidance (refusal to talk about news events, or to participate in school activities) and changes to arousal and reactivity (increased irritability and anger outbursts, difficulties in concentrating). The study found children aged between 7-12 were most afraid of interpersonal violence and natural disasters such as fires, accidents and other disasters. Research was undertaken through random telephone interviews with 537 Dutch children, with 48.2 per cent of respondents stating they had a fear reaction to watching adult news. Research undertaken by the Audience Research Department of the Netherlands Broadcasting Corporation found young children who are exposed to news and current affair programmes can be affected so much that they start viewing the world as a scarier place. When people consume news and current affairs, it’s hard to escape tragic events, from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and events that include loss of human life.īut do we stop to consider what distressing media is doing to our kids? HOW CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED While much attention has been drawn to the detrimental impact of violent video games on children’s developing brains, there has been relatively little discussion regarding the negative effects of news and current-affair programmes children are exposed to.
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