These questions and many more like them are difficult to answer. Fortunately, many Internet sites have addressed these issues and can provide guidance.

Family Education.com Published on April 25th, 2003 (http://www.familyeducation.com)

Family Education.com posts “Talking with Kids about War: Pointers for Parents.” Written by Dr. Alvin Poussaint and Dr. Susan Linn, experts on race relations and how children cope with stressful situations, the article suggests that children under seven years of age not be allowed to watch television that is showing footage about the war. They also stress the importance of reminding children that Iraqi and Muslim classmates are not “bad people.”

Sesame Street.com Published on April 25th, 2003 (http://www.sesamestreet.com)

The Sesame Street website expands the reminder to shield young children from the war by suggesting that they not be exposed to any media images of the war—including television, newspapers, radio, and other sources. If a young child is in the room or car when the coverage comes on, turn it off. The site also provides a chart showing at what age to start talking about the war and other scary things. For children ages 6 to 11, Sesame Workshop suggests initiating a discussion about war because they have probably already been exposed to it. In that discussion, parents can suggest ways for kids to help, including writing letters to children affected by the war or helping international relief groups, such as the Red Cross.

National Center for Children Exposed to Violence.org Published on April 25th, 2003 (http://www.nccev.org)

The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence at the Yale Child Study Center posts both a parent’s and a teacher’s guide to talking to children about war. The guides offer general suggestions about how to help children deal with war, and stress the importance of talking to children. Children learn to cope and feel safe when they can talk to their parents and other role models about their concerns. If your children aren’t talking to you about the war, the guides suggests the best way to open the door to communication is to ask about what classmates and friends are saying about the war. War is upsetting to adults and children, and the article reminds us that it is all right for children to feel anxiety.

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Website Published on April 25th, 2003 (http://www.lpch.org)

On this website, child psychiatrist Dr. Victor Carrion tackles the needs of kids during wartime. As director of the Early Life Stress Research Program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University Medical Center, Dr. Carrion reminds parents to assure their kids that they are safe. Parents should be prepared for the questions about how many people (and kids) are going to die in this war, and what we are going to do for families in Iraq. He too believes young children should be shielded from the media coverage of the war; and he suggests that adolescents be allowed to watch, but that they be given time to discuss what they see with adults.

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Jinny Gudmundsen is the Editor of Computing With Kids magazine. If you have questions or comments, please write to: .

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