Over the last few months we have been bombarded by stories and images relating to natural and man-made disasters from across the world.  Most recently the immediate impact and aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan has resulted in media coverage that is at the same time dramatic and horrific.  Right now the situation in Libya juxtaposed with the stories from Japan are challenging for many of us in terms of our comprehension. 
 
Parents, teachers and others who are interested in children and young people are rightfully concerned about the impact of these events on youngsters locally despite the geographic distance from our communities. 
 
We know that images in the media can impact children and young people quite profoundly.  Even very young children, who cannot comprehend the meaning of events, can be influenced negatively by exposure to distressing pictures and television footage.  On the other hand, it is apparent that older children and teens can tolerate this experience and in many instances may actually show some benefit from exposure if the circumstances are right.  In short, some kids can become very anxious and distressed about what they see and know, but many will develop an enhanced capacity for empathy and compassion for humankind.
 
As is often the case, the situation is not clear and not at all simple, dependent on multiple elements including the age of the child, the individual  temperament, the quality of the media coverage and the ability of the adults in the situation to assist with interpretation. 
 
So simple advice to parents and teachers is hard to deliver, but in are some things to keep in mind when crisis emerge:
 
-For very young children, including infants and toddlers, it is best to not expose them to images that parents think may be distressing. Where there is distress, reassure and discuss in an age-appropriate fashion.
 
-For elementary age children, parents and teachers need to prepare to limit exposure to television coverage, particularly where there is a child with a sensitive temperament.  It is important that adults are willing and able to speak with the child about the circumstances in a calm, realistic, objective manner.  It is important that both children and adults become critical participants in the media process.  There are some challenges here for all of us. 
 
-For older children and youth, limiting exposure is far more challenging in the age of Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.  In this context, parents and teachers are in a great position to discuss these events and their impact thoughtfully, aiming to reassure, but also to look for opportunities for growth.