For those who smugly thought terrorism was remote, reality has sadly proven otherwise. For a long time, there was a genuine need to obtain international travel insurance for business employees as well as tourists and volunteers traveling abroad to provide coverage against modern ills.
Today, terror rears its ugly head not only in the troubled corners of Africa and Asia, but also in the Western world. Europe is not immune. Indeed, France and Belgium have recently suffered immensely from extremist activity. We now face an ugly new reality in backyards, causing loss and damage to personal property and human life.
While the 9/11 Twin Towers catastrophe paved the way for a new vision of terrorism insurance and business coverage in the US, well.
Of course, the least equipped for tragedies are children. In fact, the publicity these terrible acts receive makes it almost impossible to protect our young people from the brutality of it all. How do we ensure the effects of something so disturbing?
In general, psychiatrists and psychologists encourage parents and educators to talk face-to-face with children about their fears. Tell the children that it is natural to be afraid, they say. Validate their feelings, they add. Thereafter, professional counselors say that adults should talk to children about ways to get comfort and reassurance. Everyone needs to recover from the impact of a terrorist attack, especially young people who cannot rely on the experience of life to help them do so.
What to say to a child after a terrorist attack
Mothers, fathers and educators should encourage children to talk about the fear they feel as a result of the horror events they are hearing about. In general, it is natural to be disturbed by violence and it is equally normal to be afraid for one’s own safety.
Tell the children how others react to the tragic chain of events. There are those who are so shocked by terror that they isolate themselves from the reality of things by not responding at all. Of course, this is not a healthy remedy. Explain to the children that it is good to let their emotions out by talking about it with parents, teachers, and their friends. Reassure your child by explaining that the violence occurred away from his home, school, and any businesses he frequents. Explain that there is little chance of something so terrible happening near them.
Also remember to explain that the fact that the bad people in this case belonged to the same religion as everyone else or dressed the same way as everyone else they see does not mean that all such people share responsibility for the evil. Teach your child to respect all people who don’t hurt others. Encourage your child to vent his fear and anger by participating in productive activities, such as helping others, perhaps writing thank-you notes to those who helped victims of a terrorist attack or sending them homemade drawings or helping them raise money for the victims in some way. Finally, try to get children into a regular sleep and activity routine, which emphasizes a healthy and healing lifestyle.