How Violence in the Media Affects your Child

Jenny Shelton, MSW, CCLS and Child Life Manager at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital shares her professional expertise in talking to children about violence and shielding them from it. This is good advice to follow for any parent struggling with this issue.

"Children are susceptible to hearing and watching violent events being re-told in the news. Violence in today's media can make children feel frightened, unsafe and insecure. Children, unfortunately, must cope with tough issues such as violence at increasingly earlier ages, often before they are developmentally able to understand the aspects of complex situations. Parents and other caring adults have the opportunity to talk with their children about these issues first, before anyone else does.

It is important for parents to develop open communication with their children. Parents should provide straightforward and simplistic answers to their questions. If you do not know the answer, admit it and then find out the information to explore together. Second, encourage children to talk about their thoughts and feelings regarding something they have heard or seen. If you sense that a violent event (fictional or real) has upset your child, take time and ask how they felt about it.

When it comes to violence in the media, parents need to be proactive and monitor their child's viewing. Studies have shown that watching too much violence whether on TV, in the movies, or in video games can increase the chance that children will be desensitized to violence or become more aggressive themselves. It is important to pay attention to the kinds of media that your children watch or play. Try watching TV or playing a video game with your child and talk to them about the things that you see together. Let your children know why violent TV, movies and games disturb you and help them understand the consequences of violence. Finally, watch the news and other media with your child to enable conversations about current events and help your child better understand what is happening in the world around them."