Young Children and Media Representations of the 9/11 Attacks

P. Donohue Shortridge/Children/Young Children and Media Representations of the 9/11 Attacks
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Young Children and Media Representations of the 9/11 Attacks

     Young children need to be protected from frightening events and it is the parents’ job to do so. Parents may be understandably very concerned about the attack on America, but they must put the needs of their young children first.

     Children under six years old should be shielded from media representations of violence of any kind. This means television, first and foremost, but also the radio. Keep these media turned off when your young children are present. Consider the following:

     Young children cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not. Although the events in America as of September 11, 2001 are real enough, the representations of them on television are not. Children do not understand that each time the explosions are shown on television they are a repeat of a singular event. To a young child, this event is happening again now in real time. This traumatizes a child because the event is happening over and over again, anew each time he witnesses it.

     Young children do not understand time or distance. Scenes of death and destruction are imprinting on the child each time he or she witnesses them and television’s tendency to repeat the episode creates in the child a reality that explosions are happening with great frequency and that people are scared and running screaming also with great frequency. They do not know where New York or Washington are in relation to where they are and to them explosions are happening everywhere and anywhere.

     Young children do not understand cause and effect. Their magical thinking includes thoughts that they somehow may be responsible for these terrible events. Telling them otherwise cannot alter this thinking because their thinking is not yet rational.

     Young children are extremely sensitive to their routines. If you are preoccupied with events on television, especially if you usually are not, your child may become upset due to the disruption in his or her routine. If you are less available to your child than you usually are, this may also upset your child. Further, your child may conclude that your distraction has to do with him and act out accordingly.

     Young children are extremely sensitive to their parents’ state of mind. Your child will discern your anxiety and become anxious him or herself. Limit your telephone conversations and other adult conversations about the attacks to times when your children are not present. If others broach the subject in the presence of your children, it is your responsibility to terminate that subject immediately. You can gently say, "this is a subject better left for another time."

     You would do anything to shield your child from an actual physical assault. Consider the media representations of war analogous to a physical one in its effect and shield your child just as ardently.

    Donohue Shortridge is a Montessorian trained in Infant/Toddler and 3-6. She works with individuals, families and schools and teaches Montessori Philosophy at Montessori Education Center of the Rockies.

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