In the News HAPPENED? What


AROUND THE WORLD — OR AROUND THE CORNER By Christina Rickenback, MSN, APRN, CPNP


TALKING TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT SAD EVENTS


questions, as you may be grappling with the same questions yourself. You don’t have to have all the answers,


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but it’s important to talk with and give your kids the support they need to deal positively with any upsetting information. Children may ask questions while in


the car, playing a game, reading a story or getting ready for bed. You may want to ask what they know about the situation first. You can then build on this or correct any inaccuracies. The amount and type of discussion will vary depending on wheth- er the event impacts your family directly or has occurred elsewhere (a tornado that destroyed your children’s school versus one in another state). Past life stressors can also influence


the conversation as they can predispose to increased anxiety when a tragedy oc- curs. You can look at the discussion as an opportunity to have a teachable moment. Reassure your kids that they are safe and that you are available to help them manage the stress of a disturbing event. Discuss your family plan for emergencies if that is germane to the tragedy. You know your kids best and how much information


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hen tragic events occur, it may be difficult to answer your children’s


they can handle. Being aware of your chil- dren’s developmental and cognitive levels as well as their past exposure to tragedies can help guide the discussion. Children younger than two will normal-


ly be unaware of events that do not impact them directly, but they can sense your anxiety and may react to your stress. If you remain calm during a difficult conver- sation you can help your child deal with an event. Children ages two to five have increasing verbal skills and awareness of their surroundings, but a poor sense of time. If a tragic event occurs, they may think they actually caused the event. Chil- dren are sponges regarding language. They may not appear to be listening to adult conversation and later be able to relate information they overheard. You need to be mindful of discussion around them. Hearing about events or seeing them replayed on TV may make kids think an upsetting event is continuing to occur. Turn off the TV when they are present or if they can hear it from another room. When they ask a question, answer as simply as you can without lengthy explanations. You do not need to discuss all the details. Children ages 6-11 understand time and are more aware of their world. They


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