By Jondi Gumz
On Sunday, my grandchildren — ages 7 going on 8 and 6 going on 7 — asked me if I knew that presidential candidate Donald Trump had been shot. I did and I knew Trump, who had served one term as president, was alright even though the television showed blood on his face. I also knew that one person died and the man who did the shooting was dead.
Jondi Gumz, Editor, Times Publishing Group, Inc.
My grandson, who is big on tools, asked, “Was it a rifle?” I answered, “I’m not sure.”
Then my grandkids asked, “Will you put this in the paper?”
I thought about it, and here goes.
When I was 10, President John F. Kennedy was shot while riding in a convertible in a parade, and he passed away.
I remember the mourning, First Lady Jackie Kennedy in her black veil, Caroline in her dress-up coat and John, 3, saluting his father.
Five years later, a presidential candidate — Robert F. Kennedy, the president’s younger brother, was shot, and he passed away.
Now 56 years later, we are hearing about shots fired at a presidential candidate.
So this is not an everyday occurrence.
I asked Perplexity.ai how to talk about it with children under 8.
The advice: Provide a simple, reassuring explanation while avoiding graphic details.
- Use age-appropriate language: Explain that someone tried to hurt a person who wants to be president, but the police and security teams protected them.
- Emphasize safety: Reassure children that there are many people whose job it is to keep important leaders safe, and that these people acted quickly to protect everyone.
- Focus on healing: Mention that the candidate is getting better and that doctors are taking good care of them.
- Avoid graphic details: Don’t discuss specifics about weapons or injuries, as these can be frightening for young children.
- Address emotions: Acknowledge that it’s okay to feel scared or worried, and encourage them to talk about their feelings.
- Highlight community support: Explain that many people are sending good wishes and hoping for the candidate’s recovery.
- Maintain routine: Assure children that their daily lives will continue as normal and that they are safe.
- Limit media exposure: Shield young children from excessive news coverage of the event, which may be too intense or confusing for them.
- Encourage questions: Let children know it’s okay to ask questions, and answer them honestly but simply.
Remember to tailor the conversation to the child’s level of understanding and emotional maturity. The goal is to inform without causing undue fear or anxiety.
Seems like a common sense approach.
Let’s hope this doesn’t happen again for at least 56 years.