French newspapers and TV shows have done stories and special issues on how to talk to kids about the attacks.Their advice springs straight from Françoise Dolto, the influential psychoanalyst. One of her recurring messages was that kids don’t need to be constantly happy; they need to understand what’s going on around them. Even in tough times, parents should tell them the truth — often in simple terms — and help them process it. It’s far worse if kids sense that something’s wrong, but no one talks to them about it. Children “don’t live on planet Mars,” said François Dufour, editor in chief of Le Petit Quotidien for kids ages 6 to 17. “They live in the same world we do.” But there are limits; he and others agreed that parents shouldn’t show kids any photos or footage of the violence. ”My advice to parents is to start with the questions of the children,” he said.
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