On Thursday June 8, 2023, a man armed with a knife attacked four very young children and two adults, on the shores of Lake Annecy, in a playground. A drama that shocked everyone, and which the children could have echoed, having witnessed the scene or having heard about it from the adults.
How do we deal with the issue of violence with the little ones? What is the name of the unmentionable? How do you choose your words, so you don’t add a layer of trauma?
We have selected three children’s books to address the theme of violence, with words suitable for their age.
Three books to talk about violence to children
Parfois, en tant qu’adultes, on n’a pas le vocabulary ou le recul nécessaire pour répondre aux mille et une questions d’un enfant qui a vécu un évènement traumatisant, un coltat, une scène particulièrement violente, ou qui en a entendu speak. If consultation with a mental health professional is to be considered, reading a few books can be of great help.
Children’s questions about war and villains
Children’s questions about war and villains by Marie Aubinais and published by Bayard Jeunesse is the most complete books on the subject. Inside you can find six traditional tales that respond, with appropriate words, to questions such as “why is there war” or “why are there bad guys”. All with nice illustrations, designed by Elsa Fouquier and Anouk Ricard.
My quick questions: Violence
In the collection “My little questions”, published by Milan editions, you will find the book Violence, a very practical little guide to talk about violence, as you can imagine. Where is he from ? Have men always been bad? What is the law for? What are the consequences of violence? What to do if you are a victim? How to talk about it? How not to be violent yourself? 40 pages to understand everything, aimed at children aged 6-10.
After the storm
This book by Hélène Romano, psychopathologist and childhood trauma specialist is a nice nugget. Illustrated by Adolie Day and published by Éditions Courtes et Longues, it tackles the difficult subject of the attacks very gently, through the eyes of a little boy who sees that something is wrong in his family after terrible events. Furthermore, at the end of the story, a double blank page allows the child to express what he feels, his fears, but also his joys, and a card intended for the parents allows, like her, to open a dialogue with the little ones to help them talk about the traumatic event they just experienced.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
