As a parent, finding ways to talk to kids about the news can be difficult, even when we are not in a pandemic.  The recent events in our nation have highlighted the importance of having these conversations with kids to help support positive coping.  Here are some tips to make these important conversations manageable:

  • Encourage, Listen and Validate
    • Ask your child if they know about a certain event and if so, what have they heard so far.
    • Ask open ended questions such as, “There are a lot of things going on in the world today, what have you been hearing or seeing?” “How did you feel when you heard the news?” and “What did you think as you were watching this?”
    • Praise kids for talking about a difficult topic, sharing their thoughts with you and validate their feelings.
    • The more you understand what your child knows and how they have reacted to it – the better you will be able to support them and calm any fears.
  • It’s Okay to Not Know the Answer.
    • Parents often feel an obligation to know the answer to kids’ questions. You can provide helpful reassurance and calm fears without knowing the answer.
    • Let them know you are there to support them and will work to find the answers together by researching it or making a family plan about how to handle it.
  • Keep Development in Mind
    • Younger kids (age 8 and under) are more concrete and benefit from examples to help them understand concepts. They need less information to feel comfortable and calm their fears.
    • Older kids and teens are less concrete and can tie current events to other things happening in the world around them. They often need more information and ask more questions.
  • Monitor What They Are Watching
    • Be aware of what kids are watching and the content they are being exposed to. This applies to traditional television news programming as well as platforms like TikTok and YouTube where content is posted directly.
    • Set limits on content or platforms if you are concerned about how much and/or what types of content kids are viewing.
  • Consider Taking This as an Opportunity
    • Make it a regular routine to watch news programming and content with your kids.Talk about the topics and content viewed together.  Help keep them up to date on the world around them and encourage positive coping by making this a family activity.
    • If a something comes on that you feel is too much or unhelpful – simply turn it off and move onto other activities.
    • Watch for signs your child may be overly stressed or anxious. If you begin to notice changes in behavior or increased in anxiety that interferes with daily activities, it may be helpful to reach out to a behavioral health professional.