Talking to your kids about what is happening in the world can feel hard. But since you are their parent, you are the best person to explain things to them. Kids can often feel when things are tense, even if they don’t know why. Talking to them openly helps them feel safe.
Here are 5 tips to help you handle these talks:
1. Check Your Own Feelings First
Kids are like sponges—they soak up your feelings. If you are scared or angry, they will feel that way too.
- Calm down: Take a deep breath and relax before you start talking.
- Check the facts: Make sure you know what really happened so you don’t share rumors.
- Pick a main message: Decide what lesson you want to teach them, like being kind or being strong.
2. Listen Before You Talk
Before you explain anything, find out what they already know. They might have heard wrong things from friends or online.
- Ask questions: Try asking, “Have you heard people talking about the news?” or “What are your friends saying?”
- Fix wrong ideas: If they believe something that isn’t true or is extra scary, gently correct them with the facts.
3. Change What You Say Based on Their Age
| Age Group | Focus | How to do it |
| Ages 3–6 | Safety | Keep it simple. Tell them, “Grown-ups are working hard to keep everyone safe.” Don’t let them see scary videos. |
| Ages 7–12 | Facts | Give simple facts. Talk about “helpers” (like doctors or firefighters) and use school rules to explain how laws work. |
| Teens | Thinking | Talk about different points of view. Encourage them to ask, “Who made this video, and why?” |
4. Help Them Feel Better by Doing Something
Watching the news can make kids feel helpless. Shift the focus from “what is happening” to “what we can do.”
- It’s okay to feel sad: Tell them their feelings are normal. You can say, “It makes sense to feel worried right now.”
- Look for the helpers: Point out the people who are fixing the problem, like community leaders or kind neighbors.
- Do something small: Doing something real helps. You could draw a card for someone, donate old toys, or just be extra kind at school.
5. Turn Off the News
Watching the news all day can be really bad for kids.
- Turn off the TV: Don’t leave the news playing in the background. Kids see and hear it even when they are playing.
- Watch together: If older kids watch the news or see it on social media, watch it with them. This way, you can pause it and talk about what they are seeing.
Pro Tip: Keep your normal routine. Eating dinner and going to bed at the same time every day helps kids feel like their world is still safe and normal.
