[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Helping Muggle children handle end of book 6 (spoilers)

[Mrs.) Lee Storm (God is the Healing Force]

[Amis]:
| Basically it just says to give kids a safe place 
| where they 
| can talk about their feelings. As for kids who are too upset to talk 
| about it, they may need to write. I'm not good at putting 
| things in to 
| verbal langauge, but I always feel better after I write my feelings 
| down.

[Lee]:
Another tack is drawing for those kids who don't like to write or have a
hard time with writing; pictures can say a whole lot.  Then, discuss the
pictures with them...And, not only the drawings, but the colors, shading,
the whole piece.

Another thing is to get kids to find a song or piece of music that best
reflects what they feel.

The "safe place" environ is an absolute must!  And that holds true not only
for HBP, but, IMHO, for things in RL, too; there's been so much grief and
death and such lately that feeling safe is hard to do, especially for kids,
I'm sure.

[Amis continues]:
| - Amie, who's mom commited the one major error the article 
| said parents 
| shouldn't do. Tell kids "it's just a book". It makes you feel worse, 
| trust me.

[Lee]:
It also trivializes them and their feelings.  But, very important, try to
get them drawing the lines between what is RL and what is not.  Perhaps use
the book and try to see what in RL they fear and liken to the book.  Does
that make sense?

Gotta stop here; I've got one hand in a brace with a pinched nerve, so my
typing is probably less than stellar!  Where's Madam Poppy when you need
her???

Cheers,

Lee :-)

Do not walk behind me,    | Lee Storm
I may not care to lead;   | N2FGC
Do not walk before me,    | n2fgc at arrl.net (or)
I may not care to follow; | n2fgc at optonline.net
Walk beside me, and be my friend.