"Helping Your Children Understand Terrorism"

From Dr. David Ludwig, pastor, professor and family counselor.

The images were surreal. Again and again, as the images of the airplane slamming into the twin tower burn into our minds, a strange anxiety surfaces. Contrived movie images and reality come together, bringing on confusion and uncertainty.

Children are not able to comprehend the magnitude of this reality, but key off of the emotional reactions of adults. If adults do not take the time to explain things in their language, the child is left with the unsettled, anxious feeling that takes away their feelings of security.

As a Christian parent, consider this one of those wonderful teaching moments and take the time to talk the situation over as a family. In the aftermath of this horrible event, there is a keen understanding of the vulnerability of our lives! What an opportunity to reflect on the security God's love gives when the security of the world crumbles around us!

The best way of approaching your children is to tell them honestly what this has done for your faith. Start by letting everyone share the image of the event that is most vivid . . . the moment of realization that something awful and scary happened.

Read the passage from the last verse of Matthew, "lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Then take your own image of the tragedy and picture Christ being there with you. Tell your child what it does for your feelings to realize that Christ is always there…let them know what security it gives you.

Have each other family member do the same and also share what security it gives to picture Christ right there when things become so scary. End the discussion with a prayer of thanksgiving for God's love and the security He gives when the things we usually rely on crumble before our eyes!