Talk To Kids About Tragedies
While they may not have been directly affected by the Las Vegas Tragedy, mental health experts say it is important to have conversations with youth who may have witnessed some of the news coverage or had friends that were closely connected to the event. Dr. Melissa Brymer with the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress says parents shouldn’t be naïve about what their kids have seen or heard. She says that teens and preteens that are connected with social media are likely to receive a lot of posts regarding the incident.
“We need to be proactive as parents. So, first and foremost, checking in. Has your child heard about the incident? Because we want to first clarify what they’ve heard, if there’s any kind of misunderstandings.”
She says it is also important to monitor your own media coverage in the presence of your children.
“It’s important to make sure that we put limits on it. So, we can do that by changing the channel and not having the newsfeed on.”
Brymer says parents should make sure that children know they can talk to a parent or teacher if they are feeling sad or overwhelmed. And adds that parents should take care of themselves as well.
“Sometimes we need a minute to digest our own reactions, our own emotions, before we start talking to our kids. And it’s okay to take that moment for ourselves to reflect on what we’re seeing and hearing in the news.”
Home Invader Gets 2 1/2 Years
The man who invaded a home celebrating a family reunion on Woahink lake has been sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison. 25 year old Kevin Michael Friend attempted to enter the home while severely intoxicated, insisting that it was his home and was shot by the residents of the home after repeated pleas for him to leave. Lane County sheriff’s were called, but did not arrive until after the shooting. Police confirmed that the family would have been justified in killing Friend, but they shot him in the leg. During sentencing the family asked the judge to not put him away for the maximum punishment, but rather a sentence that included treatment. Friend apologized to the family.
Rutting Deer Dangers
Drivers beware. A common sight during the fall months, especially from now until the end of December, is deer on the roadside looking for food and berries. As we know these animals are difficult to predict and the Oregon Department of fish and wildlife say more motorists are involved in accidents involving deer when the animals forage close to the road. They advise slowing down and being alert and avoid swerving to miss the deer as it could cause a more severe accident. ODFW says if you hit and kill a deer and can move it safely off the road then do so, if not, contact the Oregon State Police or call 911. If the animal is crippled or severely wounded it is not illegal to kill the animal for humane reasons, but you must still notify the State Police or ODFW. A new law which allows drivers to take the meat from road kill does not go into effect until January 1.
