GMA: How To Talk To Your Kids About the Boston Marathon Bombings
Many parents in America this morning are waking up and wondering how to tell their children about the events of April 15 2013 at the Boston Marathon. How do you explain the horror to your children and how do you help your kids cope? Amy Robach had the story.
One mother of a six-year-old told GMA that, “I want to cry and hold her close and never let her go.” Another mother said, “I want my daughter to have a childhood.” She went on to say that her child was very sensitive and asked amazing questions. It’s a tricky situation and there doesn’t seem to be an easy answer as to what to tell your children.
Conan O’Brien paid his respects to the victims of the Boston Marathon on his show last night. Boston is his hometown and some of his family still lives there. (Featureflash / Shutterstock.com)
What’s worse is that there seems to be a new tragedy just around the corner. First there was the Aurora movie theater bombings, followed by the Newtown school shooting and now this.
GMA: What To Tell Your Kids
Dr. Jamie Howard, a clinical child psychologist, said that attacks like those in Boston are something that parents should be telling their kids. She said that kids are getting information very quickly these days and even if a five or six-year-old may not look up the information on the internet or see it on television, older children at school may know about it or tell them about it.
She gave some tips for parents, including:
- Be calm and direct when you talk to your children, even if you yourself are scared.
- Sadness, anxiety and even nightmares are normal in children after a national tragedy.
- Don’t let teenagers fool you. They may be more scared then they let on.
GMA: Comedians and Entertainers Pay Their Respects
Last night, several comedians and entertainers paid their respects to the Boston Marathon bombing victims, including comedian Conan O’Brien, who began his show Conan by telling fans that Boston is his hometown and where his family lives. He followed it by taking a moment for the victims.
Dancing with the Stars also began with a moment for Boston. Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Zendaya’s dancing partner, also said later into the cameras, “Honestly, this is a difficult show to be part of right now and I just hope we’re doing something special for everybody.”
GMA: Cities Across the Country On High Alert
Another reason to talk to your kids is the high police presence across the country in major U.S. cities. If you live in New York, your children might notice the extreme show of force the NYPD has shown in Times Square. Police have made sure they’ve had a presence in the city to protect the people of New York City from another attack. A shot was shown of Times Square on GMA where police car after police car lined the streets with sirens on. Across the country, events have been cancelled, like the Boston Celtics game. Nuclear power plants have shut down and the entire nation is on high alert.
Americans all over the country are wondering whether something like what happened in Boston can happen in their town. The feeling is similar to that which struck the nation after the September 11 attacks.
Leave a Reply