When The News Is Scary, What To Say To Kids
Whether a school shooting or a deadly tornado, scary events in the news can leave parents struggling to know when \u2014 and how \u2014 they should talk with their kids about it. Rosemarie Truglio of Sesame Workshop and Tara Conley, a media studies professor at Montclair State University, give us tips.
- Limit their exposure to breaking news.
- For the really big stories, pick a quiet moment and start the conversation by asking what kids have heard and how they're feeling.
- Give facts and context: Let kids know that most scary news events are rare. Show them where it is happening on a map.
- When they ask why something happened, avoid labels like "bad guys."
- Encourage kids to process the story through play, art, even video.
- Take positive action together.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy