How to empower your kids to keep going to big public events after Manchester attacks
After a deadly bombing outside a stadium in the U.K., it's important that parents help kids regain confidence and encourage them to keep going out to big public events, a University of Manitoba psychologist says.
"There's very upsetting things happening around the world — this kind of terrorist event but also natural disasters — and part of growing up is for kids to learn about these things and put them into perspective," said John Walker, a clinical psychologist at the U of M.
The bombing outside an Ariana Grande concert on Sunday in Manchester, U.K., left 22 dead and dozens more injured.
Venues around the world have announced enhanced security measures, including the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.
Walker provided a series of tips to help parents ensure their kids feel safe enough to keep living life as usual — including holding onto that concert or sport ticket and going to events at stadiums, arenas and other venues as planned.
Tip #1: Talk to your kids
"The No. 1 thing is to listen a lot and hear how [kids] see it and support their view that this is a terrible thing. At the same time, when we're living our life in Winnipeg, or anywhere around the world, if I was going to Manchester next week, I wouldn't not go," Walker said.
"Teaching [kids] to live their life confidently, to go ahead in spite of interruptions, that's a real gift. We're seeing the people in England are doing that: they go to work the next day, they go to school the next day. Keeping up life as normal really helps."
Tip #2: Don't be overprotective
"Being excessively overprotective of children — not allowing them go to a sport event, not allowing them to go to a concert — I think that doesn't build self-reliance," Walker said.
"I think the opposite approach is to teach them problem-solving and how to handle the situation."
Tip #3: Ease in and practise
"When someone has a fear about something, forcing them into the situation doesn't work well. What does work very well is practising," Walker said.
"So if a child is fearful about going to the arena, going down there two or three times before the event, walking around, seeing where the exits are, seeing where the washrooms are, talking about where the pickup place is — all the things to practise ahead of time without a lot of pressure, and trying to make it a fun outing if you can."
