In a time of great uncertainty and fear, it can be hard for children to understand what is going on.
Following the horrifying actions of ISIS terrorists on November 13th that left 129 people dead, people have been left questioning their own safety in the wake of the aftermath.
Now one French youth magazine Astrapi is hoping to help calm some children in the French capital with a direct approach to answering some of their greatest fears.
The weekend supplement, which usually brings digestible news content to children aged 7-11 years old, was printed this weekend with a breakdown of the tragic events that started Friday night and carried into the early hours of Saturday morning.
According to Mashable, the piece opens addressing children directly with ‘We’ll help you understand’ – using the “tu” synonymous with closeness in French culture.
The pamphlet has a small description of the events of the night, the death toll, and adds that
“…men filled with hatred decided to kill innocent people.
“These men were planning the attacks for a long time.”
They later reassure readers that the eight terrorists were all dead the same night.
The supplement includes illustrations showed the Eiffel Tower crying while holding hands with children, two kids talking about their fears and a picture of children shielding behind the French flag emblazoned with the word ‘liberty’.
The supplement includes quotes from French children and later breaks down some of the more complicated ideas of terrorism, radicalism and France’s roles in conflicts in the Middle East.
It also assures children that they are safe in their homes and safe going to school, in a bid to abate fear.
Astrapi also warns children that there is a difference between the men who carried out these attacks and Muslim people, writing:
‘These attacks were committed by ‘Islamist terrorists,’ acting in the name of their religion, Islam, and who want to impose it by force on everybody. These ultraviolent people don’t speak for the majority of Muslims, who practice their religion peacefully.’
‘They attack France because it is a free country, where people can speak and live as they wish. France is at war with Islamism in countries including Syria and Iraq; that’s why they are taking revenge.’
Hoping to help children understand that they are safe at home, the article ends by reassuring them to live their lives to their fullest, and to resist living in fear:
“Adults are also shocked … know that your home, your school, is safe. The best way to answer the violence and madness of these men is to continue living normally and to defend these ideas in respect to others.”
