'When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'
Mr (Fred) Rogers
The killing of Jo Cox MP yesterday shocked our country. The shooting in Orlando this last weekend was the latest in a series of targeted attacks that shocked the world. Unprovoked violence, terrorism, natural disaters, plane crashes - they are no longer just reported in a newspaper or during a news broadcast. Social media, internet and 24 hour news channels mean that even young children are aware of the worst that the world has to offer. How can we approach the inevitable questions and conversations which children have as they try to make sense of what's happening? Here are some sites which give pointers:
from The Washington Post
Talking about tragedy
Another tragedy
Helping kids feel safe
Gretchen Wolff-Pritchard in her seminal work
Offering the Gospel to Children speaks of the importance of
offering children a Gospel which doesn't gloss over the reality of the world but which offers them hope in the darkest times.
May the Gospel of God's love be lived out in our lives wherever we see hatred, fear or despair.
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