Prepared by the Media Awareness Network (MNet)
and Dr. Arlette Lefebvre, Staff Psychiatrist, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
The first anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon -- September 11, 2002 -- is generating enormous media coverage. There will be a frenzy of speculation about possible escalation of the middle east conflict in the weeks before and after the anniversary, which is likely to heighten the anxiety level of many children and adults. Images of the twin towers collapsing will likely be replayed over and over in the period. There'll also probably be a great deal of speculation about the possibility of an attack on Iraq by the United States, as well as future attacks by the Al Qaeda network or other 'terrorists.'
Discussions about these potentially threatening situations can be very disturbing for kids, with some being particularly vulnerable. In fact, some young children could be traumatized simply by watching the replay of one-year-old events. Here are some tips and resources for parents, teachers, librarians and others working with young people.
What to focus on with kids:
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Make extra time to listen to any concerns young people have during the 9/11 anniversary period and use this opportunity to educate them on how the media work and their role in society.
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Be selective in your media consumption, particularly with young children.
Don't leave the television or radio on as background noise and don't watch TV replays of the events of 9/11 with young children in the room. Be aware, also, of the impact the anniversary may have on your own emotions and functioning during that week, and think about others ways you could choose to remember 9/11 without reliving the horror of video replays. Vary your sources of information by including the Internet, newspapers, magazines and radio, along with TV coverage.
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Help older children be critical viewers of the media coverage of the anniversary.
Watch the coverage with older kids and talk about it. Deconstruct the coverage and think about the messages being given by different interpretations of 9/11 and the related events of the past year. Compare the coverage by Canadian, American and other international media. Talk about the differences in how they approach the anniversary and the complicated issues surrounding the event. Think about what's been in the news since the attacks. A year later, are we more aware of what's happening in the world?
The Media Awareness Network has online resources to help promote critical thinking about the media coverage of current events:
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Emphasize the importance of tolerance and respect for diversity.
Explain that the events of September 11 triggered powerful feelings of fear and anger in people, which in some cases turned into hate directed at certain groups of people. Explain how negative stereotypes can lead to simplistic and dangerous "good versus evil", "bad guys versus good guys" perceptions. Point out that peaceful solutions are always preferable to retaliation and violence.
The Media Awareness Network offers these resources for talking to kids about the portrayal of diversity in the media:
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Emphasize the positive things that came out of the events of September 11.
Talk about how after the tragedy there was a great outpouring of shared grief, concern for the victims' families and admiration for the firefighters and the volunteers. Events such as these make us pull together and talk about the importance of loved ones and how precious life is. Discuss how you can continue helping others; for example supporting your local food bank or giving a donation to a refugee support organization. Explain how governments and organizations such as the United Nations and Unicef, are working hard to make this world a safer place for all children.
