(by Simon Druker – Posted Sep 16, 2015)
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The tragic death of Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette has captivated the attention of people from coast-to-coast, but it also presents a difficult topic of conversation when it comes to your kids.
Just how do you talk to them about it?
Don’t ignore or try to avoid the topic says Dr. Joti Samra, a Vancouver-based clinical psychologist.
Your kids will find out from other sources.
“So it’s important for parents to see this as a teachable moment to start a dialogue with their children about safety issues. Having discussions in a very calm, non-threatening way is important. Parents want to balance being assertive on setting boundaries and having very candid discussions with not instilling this overly-strong fear response in their children because that can actually be counter-productive,” says Samra.
But at the same time make sure you don’t scare them too much.
She says kids are good at letting you know how much information they need, so answer their questions without getting too detailed or far away from the point.
“You want to ensure that explanations are age-appropriate. Really let your children guide how much information you get. Children are very good letting us know what information they need. So what you want to do is answer as clearly and directly and simply as you can.”
They’re inquisitive so don’t shy away from the topic.
She also says no matter how you feel, be sure to keep your emotions in check in front of your kids.
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