Colorado clinical psychologist offers tips for talking to your children about war and social media
On social media, there's no escaping it: graphic footage and polarizing content about the Israel-Hamas war.
In the information age, technology gives us an unfiltered look at war overseas, but it's not just adults watching. Many kids are being exposed to graphic and upsetting war content on TikTok and other apps, as well as potentially harmful misinformation.
Elementary counselor Molly Pavelick, who's also a licensed clinical social worker in Denver, has seen how much social media shapes the world of children.
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"Kids have a lot of access to violent content and they don't understand what's going on, they don't understand what this means," said Pavelick.
Clinical psychologist Shawn Worthy recommends monitoring or restricting young children's access to social media and talking to all kids.
"Talk with them and help provide a narrative about what they're consuming that makes it make sense and makes it not so scary," said Worthy.
Start by checking in to see what your child knows. The level of detail should depend on the child's age.
"Being able to sit down and help them process, really explaining why this is happening, history behind things. I think kids have great questions and we're afraid to talk to them but the reality is they do wanna know, in a way that's kid-friendly," said Pavelick.
Pavelick says kids are especially vulnerable to misinformation online.
"They don't always understand the content. They don't understand the words, so they take what they want from it and then echo it," said Pavelick.
RELATED: Social media disinformation spreads amid war in Israel
That's why teaching your kids media literacy and how to spot misinformation early is crucial.
"Helping them understand what are valid news sources where news is vetted and is there some semblance of accuracy to it, as well as helping them to form a narrative around it," said Worthy.
Even if you don't believe your child has seen war-related content, it's always better to have the conversation.
"I'm always an advocate for parents talking to their children," said Worthy.
"We as adults are afraid that if we bring stuff up to our kids, that we're opening this big door, but the reality is our kids see it all the time, whether we know it or not. So being able to talk to our kids, being able to explain it, again in a child-friendly way that they understand, actually helps more than ignoring it," said Pavelick.
Families that are Jewish or Muslim may have more personal relationships to the conflict.
Worthy recommends helping your child process that emotionally while also giving a general context.
For everyone, even adults, Worthy says it's important to balance awareness and compassion with your own mental health. It's okay to take a break from this content if it's making you chronically anxious or upset.
