Reading the news can be overwhelming, especially today. It is important to read the news, to stay updated with current events, but reading too much can create stress and worry. It is also important to note that speaking of the news and/or having the news on a lot can make children in the house feel anxious. In fact, The Child Mind Institute recommends talking to children about COVID-19, but limiting the amount of information shared to not overwhelm them. It is best to give them basic facts from health professionals and advice from the CDC, and to also allow them room to ask any questions involving the virus.
About two years ago, TIME magazine had an article titled You Asked: Is It Bad for You to Read the News Constantly? which answered a lot of questions about people's concerns over reading too much news. This article came out in a time where a lot of people were concerned about the presidency and the current White House Administration, but also proves to be useful now. Loretta Breuning, a former UC East Bay professor, was a key source in the article and stated that news reading should be allocated to one time spot a day. She recommends reading/watching around breakfast or lunch, but never before bed. This can allow bad, nervous thoughts to enter your brain as you sleep and make things even worse.
This should also apply to children, from small beings to teenagers. Yes, it is important to converse about the news to other adults, but speaking about it in front of young people can be troublesome. They may not talk about it, but overhearing alarming statistics is not good for them. It can result in a panic that they may not show to others. This is a time to be mindful about our own mental health, as well as our children's, and to talk with each other when anxieties are sparked to help create an ease of comfort and community.
To another tomorrow,
Liz Malone
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