Too tender to know

In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, many people have questions. And many of them are children.\nDr. Linda Smith, a psychology professor, recommends not telling children under age five about events of terrorism simply because they can't comprehend what's going on, and it only causes unnecessary stress. Adults should expose young children to traumatizing events only if a significant person in the child's life was affected, she said.\nBut, she said, it's essential for parents to talk about the issue if children are worried. \nOlder elementary students, who are more exposed to the media, might have the gist of the recent attacks, but Smith said they might need an adult figure to help them fully grasp the situation.\n"Parents do need to help interpret it for kids over eight years old," Smith said.\nShe said parents should be honest with children and also reassure them of their safety. \nFor children in school, the responsibility is still on the parents' shoulders, but teachers and faculty must also acknowledge the issue carefully.\nThe administration of Broadview Elementary School, 705 W. Coolidge Drive, did just that. \nFourth, fifth and sixth graders watched approximately 15 minutes of the news about terrorism in the United States and teachers opened discussion, which Smith said she highly recommends.\n"The key is to reassure kids that the school is a safe place to be," said Doug Waltz, principal of Broadview.\nWhile some area schools dismissed students on the Tuesday of the attacks, others beefed up security. Normally, all but one of the doors are locked at Broadview for safety -- a routine practice before the attacks.\nRhonda Caldwell, an intermediate special education teacher at Broadview, said the children knew they were safe and felt reassured.\nA few parents picked up their kids from Broadview, Waltz said, but the normal routine went on.\n"The kids couldn't fathom why someone would deliberately take thousands of lives," Waltz said. \nSmith and Caldwell said that the traumatic happenings shouldn't be pushed to the foreground.