How To Help Your Kids Deal With Their Feelings About The War In Ukraine
As much as we may want to shelter our children from frightening news, the truth is that in this world of lightning-speed information, it’s nearly impossible. Children as young as preschool age are likely to have heard about the war in Ukraine at home or in school.
Even if they somehow have avoided seeing the brutal images of tanks barreling through cities or schools on fire, they will pick up on any stress that you or other family members are feeling.
This is an important time to check in on your children’s mental health. Here are some helpful tips on how to help your children process all the emotions they may be feeling.
Monitor what they’re watching
If your child has access to the internet, there is no end to the information they may be exposed to. News is often sensationalized to bring in viewers or biased to push a particular agenda.
Talk to your children about credible and age appropriate sources of information. This is also a particularly important time to limit the amount of time kids spend on screens at all. Overexposure to scary events beyond their control can cause a lot of undue anxiety and stress.
Explain the situation in an age appropriate way
If your child is old enough to be asking questions about war, they’re old enough to get answers. Having the situation explained to them by a parent or trusted adult will help them combat misinformation they may be hearing in other places. Make sure to answer any questions that they may have, research when you don’t know the answers, and admit if there’s something you don’t understand. This is particularly true for older children who may be discovering their own worldview and less inclined to take you on your word.
Reading children’s books about other wars can also be a helpful way to help kids process the complicated emotions they may be dealing with.
Validate feelings
It is normal for kids to feel big emotions during major world events. If your child expresses that they’re feeling sad or scared, let them know that you understand their feelings and that you may be feeling some of those same things.
Encouraging them to write or draw out their feelings can help spark deeper conversations. If your child is exhibiting extreme signs of distress such as obsessive thoughts about the war or sleep disruptions, it may be time to consult with a therapist.
Emphasize their safety
Reassure your child that, though the world may feel very scary right now, they are safe and loved. It may be helpful to show your child a map and explain how far away the war is. You can also talk to them about actions that leaders around the world are taking to help stop the war and protect innocent people.
Take action
One of the best ways to deal with the fear and sadness of war or any bad situation is to take action. Let your kids choose an organization to donate to and help them find ways of raising money to help Ukrainian families.
War is an unsettling event for all of us, children and adults alike. Finding concrete ways to help can ease some of the feeling of helplessness that we are all struggling with.