That's why it's important to openly communicate with your children about these reports to help alleviate their fears. As parents, we all have to enter into these discussions whether we like it or not. So get ready. Have an opinion about the tragedy and think about what you're going to say. Children's perceptions of scary news stories vary greatly depending on age and development level.
Children have no way to tell the difference between fact and fantasy.
And considering this, parents shouldn't expose young children to the news. You have no control over what's going to come over those airwaves. My own daughter recently asked me, 'Are we bombing people,' as she listened to the car radio. By age 7 or 8, a horrifying news story can seem all too real. For some, the vividness of a sensational news story can be internalized and transformed into something that might happen to them.