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Carnage may hurt children’s sense of security

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, September 11, 2001

By Eric Stevick

Herald Writer

In the younger grades, the children played at recess on sun-soaked grounds, but the roar was not as loud as most days.

Older students asked questions that their teachers often could not answer.

At Arlington High School, students watched the TV screens in relative silence, in some cases from one period to the next on Tuesday, trying to comprehend the magnitude of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.

Thousands of thoughts raced through their minds. They are part of a peacetime generation that has had few fears of national security.

Kristina Speed, an Arlington High School senior whose mother alerted her to turn on the TV Tuesday morning, has just vague memories of the Gulf War. Tuesday’s carnage undermined her sense of security.

"To me, in America, we have been trying to keep away from things like this," she said. "This shows it can happen here."

For Jason Molstad, a senior, the attack raises frightening long-term possibilities.

"When I see that, I definitely have a gut feeling that something big is going to happen," he said. "I have a very big fear they are going to start the draft again."

To Howard Vining, also a senior, Tuesday’s mayhem was "more of a symbolic attack than a military attack. It’s still going to lead to some end. We are going to declare war on someone."

Elementary schools in Arlington and across Snohomish County worked hard to keep young students in a routine Tuesday. At some schools, particularly in the lower grades that have later starting times, more students were absent than usual.

Like their parents, many high school students wanted more information. Molstad said it helped him to process the images with his classmates.

Robert Penny, the Arlington High School principal, talked to his faculty early Tuesday. He gave teachers some leeway to decide.

"We could continue to maintain our approved curriculum, or today could be a history lesson in your classroom, because this is history," Penny said.

Some experts warn that the TV images will become more graphic in the next few days as the pictures move from pulverized buildings to bodies in the rubble.

Ruth Gustafson, manager of psychological and counseling services for the Edmonds School Districts, offered several tips for parents:

  • Stay calm yourself — Calm adult responses and reassurances can go a long way in helping children cope. Be careful not to make off-hand remarks.

  • Consider your child’s age when talking about the events — For young children, don’t provide more information than they want or need and limit their exposure to TV coverage. If older children seem to be avoiding talking about it, ask them about it and invite them to share their feelings with you.

  • Stay with everyday routines.

  • Provide an outlet for their anxiety and fears, helping them focus on what they can do — be it drawing, riding a bike, writing or listening to music.

  • Watch for significant changes in behavior — stress may be expressed through increased physical complaints, such as stomach aches, nightmares, difficulty separating from parents, increased irritability and proneness to tears.

    You can call Herald Writer Eric Stevick at 425-339-3446

    or send e-mail to stevick@heraldnet.com.

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