Hello, wonder if anyone can help. Yesterday we (me, DH, DS (8) and DD(5) were in the street, ambling along, when some kids on the opposite side lit a firework in their hands and set it off towards my DS. It went over him (and over the building behind, or possibly into the wall of it) and banged extremely loudly. DS was horrified and stood rooted to the spot and howling for several minutes. There was some initial confusion about what the bang was and I didn’t initially see he was crying. Everyone poured out of the shops and was so kind to him, and someone called he police, not that they could do much. Notwithstanding how completely vile the idiotic kids who did it are, I’m finding it hard to say the right thing to him. He keeps asking his sister to stop mentioning it (she has told everyone she can think of the story) and he wants to keep it secret. Assume because he doesn’t want to feel how he felt then. But he is also saying he won’t walk to school, won’t go to the park where it happened, won’t walk down that street, and is terrified by every firework (a lot, Diwali and bonfire night makes it very bangy at this time of year).
Am feeling like a bad parent-any tips on how to help him? What is the best approach? Thank you!