Coping Tips

How To Talk To Your Kids About The Columbia Tragedy

Here are some tips for parents on talking with kids about the Columbia tragedy.

1. Children under the age of two most likely won't know about or understand the magnitude of this tragedy and it is not necessary to talk with them about this.

    

2. School-aged children, however, will have questions and perhaps some confusion. Be sure to talk about what they know and be honest and sincere about what happened. Because space exploration is such a fantasy-like profession to children, they may have feelings of fear that may tarnish their image of astronauts and space exploration. You should emphasize how brave, talented and courageous the astronauts were.

    

3. This will most likely lead to a risk-taking discussion. It's important to emphasize to children how risk is a natural part of the space program, just like any other type of exploration. You can even compare it to Christopher Columbus' journey. Explain to them how rare it really is that astronauts are killed in space shuttle accidents.

    

4. Emphasize and reassure the child of their own safety and security.

    

5. Limit media coverage. It's not necessary for children to repeatedly watch images of the shuttle disintegrating over and over again.

    

6. Help them understand that our government's and NASA's highest priority is the safe travel of our astronauts. Explain to them how in the past, shuttle launches have been delayed if even minor concerns surface regarding weather conditions, equipment concerns, etc.

    

7. When talking with older children, they may know that there are astronauts still in space and may fear for their safety. Again, explain to them that NASA and our government are working on getting them home safely, and will be brought down one way or another.

    

8. If your child has questions about the mourning families, explain how NASA is like a huge family to astronauts and other space program employees. There's a tremendous support network in place that families and survivors depend on which will help them get through their grieving period.

   Source: Mark Levy MD is a Board Certified Forensic Psychiatrist, Chairman of the San Francisco Foundation for Psychoanalysis and Asst. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, UCSF.