By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Some Bowling Green parents are struggling with how to explain the recent violence in the world to their children. Though surrounded by cornfields and isolated from much of the turmoil in the world, the children see images and hear stories of the violence.
So to help families discuss these difficult topics, a community meeting will be held Aug. 11.
The meeting was organized after some parents expressed their concerns about how to talk with their children about incidents like the shootings in the Orlando night club or the terror attacks in France.
“A couple moms were getting their hair done, and talking about ‘I don’t know what to tell my kids,’” Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci said.
Scruci saw an opening for the schools to help.
“If we can provide some resources,” he said. “We want to give our families a chance to ask questions. ‘What should we say? What shouldn’t we say?’”
The school district is partnering with the Not In Our Town organization to host a community discussion on Aug. 11 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the Performing Arts Center Lobby at Bowling Green High School.
The discussion will be targeted for the adults in children’s lives, and may not be appropriate for children themselves.
Heather Sayler, an organizer of the Not In Our Town organization, said it is hoped that some people with counseling expertise will be able to speak at the meeting. “People who work with children on a daily basis, or when they are in crisis,” she said.
Social media makes it almost impossible for youth to avoid news of violence here in the U.S. and around the world. The news lately has been full of stories about terror attacks in Europe and Asia, mass shootings here in the U.S., the killings of black men by police, and the killings of police trying to protect their communities.
“The purpose of the meeting is to share ideas of how to talk to your children about the violence, answer any questions you may have, and to give resources for parents to use to help their children better understand and feel safe,” the school district said in a press release about the event.
