Tsunamis, Radiation, Earthquakes: When Do You Discuss Them With Kids?

Natural disasters and environmental concerns are scary enough for adults; at what point do we discuss them with kids?

Our 9-year-old Donovan is already concerned about the earth. He's learned to recycle, turn off the lights and not leave the water running because he knows he's helping the environment. He even became a vegetarian last summer and has stuck to it, because he doesn't want to kill animals.

Lately, he's been concerned about the End of the World. Maybe because he saw the movie 2012 too early, but there are also ads on the radio, billboards in the neighborhood, and other things to remind him.  

So, we tried to keep him away from all the news about Japan, but as soon as he got to Valley View Elementary, kids were screaming, "A tsunami is coming, a tsunami is coming!"

How much do we tell the kids about disasters and the environmental crisis going on in the world? 

John Walker, from the Studio City Neighborhood Council, sent out a note to fellow stakeholders that was sent to him through crime and safety representatives, which said: 

The following is a link to  reliable and accurate informaiton regarding the potential hazard from radiation originating in Japan:

Lowdose.energy.gov/

There is no reason to take any extraordinary measure to protect you and your family from any health threat at this time.  Please take a few minutes and read what this agency has to say.

 Some locals were stocking up on gas masks, pills of all kinds and other items to protect themselves from a radiation plume that was supposedly coming this way.

Also last week, teachers at were given instructions to read a letter from L.A. schools Superintendent Ray Cortines (see attached in the PDF area under the photo), that essentially said that the "reports of the plume of radiation traveling from Japan to the Los Angeles area" were not to be of concern, and that "no harmful effects of radioactivity are expected to reach California."

One middle school teacher told me he refused to read it, saying, "If the kids didn't already know about it, this was only going to scare them more. I didn't want to perpetuate that."

Another middle school teacher said, "A few of my students have told me, 'Why do I have to learn this, we're all going to be dead next year in 2012 anyway?' and I asked, 'Where did you learn that? Who told you that?' and they say, 'Well, they talk about it at church' or 'My parents told me.' "

So, what do you tell the kids? How old should they be? Should you be honest?

For some kids, watching Al Gore's  An Inconvenient Truth is more frightening than a horror movie, because of its scientific basis.

Check out a couple of these articles below, and please join in the discussion by writing what you think in the Comments area below.

* Don't Scare the Children Into Saving the Environment

* Talking to Children About the Environment

* How to Talk to Kids About the Gulf Oil Spill