| 5 Tips For Talking To Your Children About
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| | The best way to make sure kids know they
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| What They See In
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| | are safe, is totalk with them about what
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| The News
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| | they see and hear and give them achance
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| Copyright 2005 Dr. Charles Sophy
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| | to express their feelings.
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| Keep 'Em Off My Couch
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| | Parents with children reacting to the
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| Mommy (Daddy), Why do those people want
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| | news should:
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| to hurt everyone?
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| | - Know all the facts: Parents should help
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| Last week, the world was shaken by
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| | their childrencope with the attacks first
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| another terrorist attack.
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| | by finding out how much theyknow about
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| Hot on the heels of the Live 8 benefits
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| | what happened.
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| and in the middleof the G8 Summit, bombs
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| | - Know yourself: Try to be aware of your
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| exploded in London. Adults aroundthe
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| | own anxieties inorder to know your
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| globe were glued to CNN and spent time
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| | child's.
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| discussing theirfeelings about the event
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| | - Know your child: Children may not have
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| around the water cooler at work,with
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| | the verbal capacityto discuss their
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| their partners at home or in online
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| | anxieties. Watch for newbehavioral
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| discussion groupsand e-mails.
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| | physical manifestations of their fears.
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| Collectively, we reached out and
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| | Forexample, your child may reveal his/her
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| werecomforted and reassured by the words
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| | anxiety by notwanting to separate to go
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| of Prime Minister Tony
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| | to school or camp.
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| Blair and other world leaders.
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| | - Reduce media exposure: It's important
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| Many adults, however, do not realize how
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| | to filter theinformation that your child
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| many kids areexposed to the same news.
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| | receives so that you can controlthe
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| Older children may read thenewspaper or
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| | intensity of the reaction, instill in
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| watch the news on TV. Others may be
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| | your child yoursense of values and moral
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| exposed to
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| | principles, and keep the lines
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| "breaking news" during an interruption in
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| | ofcommunication open and let them ask
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| their favoritecartoon t.v. program and
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| | questions.
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| still others can easily stumbleacross the
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| | - Build a plan: Children, no matter their
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| information online via MSN, Yahoo, Google
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| | age, are primarilyconcerned with safety
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| or anyof the other online portals. While
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| | "Am I safe? Is my family safe?" Toallay
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| adults were declaringtheir solidarity in
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| | their fears, work with your child to
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| the War On Terror last week,
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| | create a safetyplan.
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| manychildren's anxieties and fears were
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| | Remember: World disasters are scary for
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| being overlooked.
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| | adults and childrenalike. Always reach
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| In our efforts to protect our children
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| | for more assistance when unsure of
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| and preserve theinnocence of childhood as
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| | yournext step.
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| long as possible, we attempt toshield
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| | ) 2005 Dr. Charles Sophy
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| them from the atrocities that occur in
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| | Dr. Charles Sophy currently serves as
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| today'sturbulent times. When events such
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| | Medical Director forthe Los Angeles
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| as the bombs in London,the events at the
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| | County Department of Children and Family
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| elementary school in Belsan, Russia in
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| | Services (DCFS), which is responsible for
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| September, 2004 and the September 11th
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| | the health, safetyand welfare of nearly
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| attacks on the World
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| | 40,000 foster children. He also has
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| Trade Center occur, our natural instinct
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| | aprivate psychiatry practice in Beverly
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| is to not discussthe events of the day
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| | Hills, California.
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| with our children. Yet, as news
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| | Dr. Sophy has lectured extensively and is
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| ofterrorist attacks or other tragedies
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| | an Associate
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| surround them, yourchildren may be
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| | Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the
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| feeling frightened, anxious, sad
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| | University of
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| andconfused.
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| | California Los Angeles Neuro-Psychiatric
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| As a parent, only you can decide what
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| | Institute. Hislectures and teachings are
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| news is appropriatefor your children but
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| | consistently ranked as among thebest by
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| do not assume that your child does
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| | those in attendance.
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| nothave an awareness of the tragic events
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| | Dr. Charles Sophy, author of the "Keep
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| that have a globalimpact. It's important
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| | `Em Off My Couch"blog, provides real
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| to talk to your children about theactions
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| | simple answers for solving life'sbiggest
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| that shape our lives but the amount of
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| | problems. He specializes in improving
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| informationyou share with your child
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| | the mentalhealth of children. To contact
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| differs across age groups and evenfrom
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| | Dr.
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| child to child.
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