I turned on the television for a few minutes just to learn what was happening. I turned it off and kept it off for the rest of the day. Once in a while I clicked on a new website for updates. Otherwise I listened to stored music. It isn't that I didn't care what happened, but experience has taught me that nothing good comes from watching the constant coverage. I also didn't want our girls to see any coverage.
Even though the girls are moving towards adulthood at a faster pace than I would like, I think there are things they are too young to process. There are a lot of news stories they hear about at school. I hadn't had a chance to talk to Daddy about whether or not we'd talk to the girls about the Sandy Hook massacre before they heard about it at school. They are well-versed with the controversies surrounding the current presidential primaries.
What they know is high-level stuff at a level we can discuss. They ask questions and we do our best to answer at a level that gives them a response without causing unnecessary stress. We want them to understand what is happening without creating too much fear. There is a delicate balance between providing information and creating panic. It's hard for adults to process what is happening. It's too much to expect the girls to do it.
I admit that not watching the news is strange. I was always a news junkie. It does feel like I'm going through withdrawal at times. I get the urge to turn on cable news to see what is happening, but I try to let it pass. I've learned that the less news I watch the better my general outlook. It's a delicate balance to make sure I know enough about what is happening in the world without creating overwhelming anxiety. I'm not sure I'm there, but I do know that turning off television news stations is a good first step.
