This story is from December 19, 2014

Post-Pak tragedy, kids ask if their schools will be targeted

After being exposed to the gruesome visuals on the Pakistan tragedy in the media, young students have been asking disturbing questions to their parents and teachers.
Post-Pak tragedy, kids ask if their schools will be targeted
MUMBAI: After being exposed to the gruesome visuals on the Pakistan tragedy in the media, young students have been asking disturbing questions to their parents and teachers. Children are curious to know who these terrorists are and if they will come to their schools too. Reassuring these students should be the topmost priority of parents and teachers at this point, say psychiatrists.
While they believe that parents are not hitting the alarm button yet, there is a chance that some cases of fear and anxiety might come to the fore after the Christmas vacation.
Director of Podar Education Network, Swati Popat-Vats said, “The Peshawar tragedy will bring with it a lot of fears and anxiety in young children. Some will be able to voice them and some will worry about it, unable to ask the questions that are worrying them. It is important that as parents and teachers we support them in this period by ensuring that our own anxiety does not pass on to our children.” She believes that if a child is withdrawn or has suddenly started exhibiting different behaviour, then talking to the child or helping her/him draw her emotions and thoughts can help. In fact, the Podar director has also sent a list of answers that parents from her school could use while interacting with their children.
According to psychiatrist Anjali Chhabria, it is too early to notice signs of anxiety now and it is more important to make the students feel safe and secured. “There were three tragedies in a span of 48 hours. People are currently sharing the grief of the friends and families of students who have lost their lives. Through social networking sites, they are sending in their condolences,” she said.
She added that parents and school counsellors should assure younger children that they are safe and secured. For the elder ones, the parents can discuss the problem and answer all their queries. They should avoid watching TV news on the incident again and again in front of their children, added Chhabria. More than the children, the parents are saddened by the unfortunate incident at Peshawar, said senior psychiatrist Harish Shetty. He said, “Parents are feeling compassionate about children who have lost their lives in the tragedy and their parents as they can relate to it. Currently, they are more anxious than the children. Since the Christmas vacation will begin, there is no major sign of paranoia in sending children to schools.” In a workshop conducted with parents this week, Shetty saw parents asking questions on how to deal with their kids during such events.
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