Should children watch television news coverage of school violence incidents?
It depends on their age and developmental level. Young children, such as preschoolers, often interpret the news differently than adults do. For instance, some studies show that young children often don’t realize that the same incident is constantly replayed on the news — they believe it’s different incidences of violence, which can lead them to think that violence is common. Children of any age, and even adults, can have traumatic reactions to violent or shocking images, especially those that show frightened or injured school children. Watching footage from the scene of an incident can be too intense. Even older children should limit viewing of such news. Remind them that early news coverage may be inaccurate and sensationalistic because the facts aren’t all known. Consider watching the news together so that you can discuss it.
