How to Talk to Children About Difficult News
With all that is going on around us, children have a lot of questions. Ms. Mac has shared resources to help teachers in the classroom but also has gathered the ones below, that parents may find useful.
Resources on Ukraine
How to Talk to Kids About Ukraine (New York Times)
Resources for Educators, Families to Discuss the Events in Ukraine with Students
Resources to Support Students Considering the Recent Subway Tragedy
Ways to talk about subway shootings:
1. I wonder if anyone saw anything on the news that they are worried about,
2. Listen to what children say and know, confirm what is true and reframe what is not true or needs clarification. Write down questions they may have.
3. Say what the city is doing to help the people who got hurt.
4. Say what the city is doing to make the subway safer.
5. Invite children to write in their journals at intervals throughout the day if they think of other things they want to say .
6. Invite children to do something proactive, like make cards to comfort children who attend nearby Sunset Park Schools and might have happened to be riding that train and might still be scared.
Additional Articles:
How to talk to children about difficult news (APA)
How to Talk to Children About Tragedies (NCFR)
Terrorism and War: How to Talk to Children (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)
Responding to Tragedy: Resources for Educators and Parents (Edutopia)