More than insurance against terrorism: Children’s talk

For those who smugly thought terrorism was remote, reality has sadly proved otherwise. For a long time, international travel insurance for business employees as well as tourists and volunteers traveling abroad was a genuine necessity to provide coverage against modern ills.

Today, terror rears its ugly head not only in the troubled corners of Africa and Asia, but also in the Western world. Europe is not immune. Certainly France and Belgium have recently suffered immensely from extremist activity. Now we are facing a new and ugly reality in the backyards, causing loss and damage to personal property and human life.

While the Twin Towers catastrophe of 9/11 paved the way for a new vision of terrorism insurance and business coverage in the US, Good.

Of course, the least equipped for tragedies are children. In fact, the publicity these terrible acts receive makes it nearly impossible to protect our youth from the brutality of it all. How do we ensure the effects of something so disruptive?

In general, psychiatrists and psychologists encourage parents and educators to talk face to face with children about their fears. Tell the children that it is natural to be afraid, they say. Validate their feelings, they add. Thereafter, professional counselors say that adults should talk to children about ways to get solace and comfort. Everyone needs to recover from the shock of a terrorist attack, especially young people who cannot rely on life experience to help them do so.

What to tell a child after a terrorist attack

Mothers, fathers and educators should encourage children to talk about the fear they feel as a result of the scary events they are hearing about. In general, it is natural to be disturbed by violence and it is equally normal to fear for one’s own safety.

Tell the children how others react to the tragic chain of events. There are those who are so shocked by terror that they isolate themselves from the reality of things by not responding at all. Of course, this is not a healthy remedy. Explain to children that it is good to let their emotions out by talking about it with parents, teachers and their friends. Reassure your child by explaining that the violence occurred far from home, school, and any business that he frequents. Explain to them that there is little chance of something so terrible happening near them.

Also remember to explain that just because the bad people in this case belonged to the same religion as everyone else or dressed the same way as everyone else does not mean that all such people share responsibility for the bad guys. Teach your child to respect all people who do not hurt others. Encourage your child to vent his fear and anger by engaging in productive activities, such as helping others, perhaps writing thank you notes to those who helped victims of a terrorist attack or sending them home-made drawings or helping them raise money for the victims somehow. Finally, try to get children into a regular sleep and activity routine, which underscores a healthy and healing lifestyle.