Schools worry about riot visuals’ impact on kids

MUMBAI: When visuals of riots and vandalism are being telecast on television, how do you explain it to a four- year-old watching the news? With images of rioting

MUMBAI: When visuals of riots and vandalism are being telecast on television, how do you explain it to a four- year-old watching the news? With images of rioting in the southern states over the sharing of Cauvery water and the street battles in Kashmir occupying prime time television, Mumbai teachers are worried about its impact on children.

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Teachers said children ask questions about the violence. The images of a student brutally beaten up, buses burning, lathi charge and violence, along with discussions that elders have at home on the subject are troubling them. Schools said they are speaking to parents to ensure that these incidents don’t have a negative impact on children. Some students in Bengaluru even witnessed vandalism on roads while travelling back home, said Swati Popat Vats, president of Podar Education Network and Early Childhood Association, which is a group of pre-schools and child development experts.

“In some of our schools in Bengaluru, children saw buses being burnt and people going on the rampage on Monday. It was an unnerving experience for them,” said Vats, adding that such incidents have a lasting impact on the child.

Mumbai maybe be hundreds of kilometres away from Bengaluru but children here are being exposed to these visuals through television, said teachers. “Children are extremely dependent on their emotions, perspectives and adults in their environment. When there are repeated flashes of violence and disorder through news, parents must look out for signs of anxiety-related behaviour,” said Vats.

Child development experts added that children might even refuse to go school as the violent images instil fear in them. Some experts suggested drastic steps. “The media must stop putting across such images. Besides inciting others, they are affecting children as they do not understand geographical distance but believe they are close to the violence. They are gripped with fear and insecurity,” said Dr Harish Shetty, senior psychiatrist.

Some children may not ask questions but might become quiet, pensive and moody or may throw tantrums because they are upset and don’t know how to show their emotions, said experts. “Be a little observant and if the child shows anxiety symptoms, reassure her/him with your words and presence, words that bring confidence, words like ‘you/we are safe’, ‘nothing to worry about’, ‘yes, it will soon be over’ can be used,” said Reeta Sonawat, professor and head, human development, SNDT Women’s University, Juhu.

Encourage children to draw or paint in order to gauge what they are thinking, said specialists. “Sometimes children are able to express in their drawings,” said Sonawat, also executive director of Early Childhood Association. She added that these situations could also be explained to them through simple stories and analogies.

The city schools have trained their teachers on identifying anxious behaviour among the students. “After any calamity, we tell our teachers to observe the children closely, especially during role play and in class,” said Ayesha Baig, the academic head (pre-primary) of Children’s Academy in Malad.