Kids may feel uneasy about the war in Ukraine and have questions about what they’ve seen and heard.
So, how do we approach the topic without stoking their fears?
Dr. Vanessa Jensen, pediatric psychologist with Cleveland Clinic Children’s, said for small children, it’s best to keep it simple.
Sometimes you just need to simplify it,” she said. For example, ‘We get to take care of you, and then we’ll make sure the adults take care of that.’
No matter a child’s age, Jensen said kids may need more support and reassurance from their parents right now.
Jensen said violent images can impact kids of any age, particularly those who haven’t entered adolescence, and can crop up in nightmares and night terrors.
So it’s a good idea to monitor what kids are watching and shield younger children from disturbing visuals.
And if they’ve seen something frightening, ask plenty of questions to get a sense of how much they know and what they’re feeling.
“In some way, try to insert that little piece of, you know, if you see things or hear things that either you wonder about or that are kind of scary, let’s talk about it because I find it kind of scary; I find war very disturbing,” she says. “And help them normalize those thoughts. It’s okay to feel kind of scared that this is happening in our world.”
Dr. Jensen said sometimes taking action can help ease a child’s mind — like making a card for a soldier in the military, praying for Ukraine’s safety, or simply sending warm thoughts and wishing them well.
Children can also write letters or draw photos for people who are in harm’s way.
—Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org
