Preparing Children for Troubled Times—An Interview with Nitai
Deranja A. The age of the child makes a big difference. For
younger children, 6-12 years old, when something like the World
Trade Center attacks happens, you mention it to them, you let
them know what’s happening, but you state it as simply as
possible. It’s best not to show them graphic images of violence
or to expose them to adults who are emotionally upset. One of
the worst things for a small child is to see violent images over
and over again. Children from 6 to 12 are wide open and very
vulnerable emotionally, so at our school we shield them as much
as possible from the storms and extremes of life. It’s like
cultivating a garden. Children at this age don’t have a lot of
defenses, and can be hurt deeply by violence of any kind. Q:
What if the younger children have already seen violent images?
A: Then it’s important to find other images to reduce the
impact—beautiful scenery, nature, animals—and especially scenes
of compassion related to the even