Talking to children about difficult things
There is a lot going on in the world around us, and it affects us all – especially children. Here we have gathered some tips about how you, as an adult, can talk to a child about difficult things that they might find scary.
Difficult events and crises can trigger thoughts and worries in children, who may need to talk about what they have seen and heard. The most important thing you can do as an adult is to reassure them, calm them down and help them feel in control.
6 tips on what you, as an adult, can do
1. Ask what's going on
Find out what the child knows and whether they have any questions or thoughts about what has happened.
2. Ask concrete questions
For example, “Have you talked at school about what’s happening? Have you spoken to your friends about it? What do you talk about then?”
3. Be curious and observant
Most children show in some way if they’re feeling worried or anxious. Pay extra attention to the signs.
4. Help your child understand
Provide basic information about the event without going into scary details. This helps your child make sense of the situation.
5. Don’t pass on your own worries
Be mindful that your own worries don’t rub off on the child. Global crises can be difficult for children to understand. What triggers thoughts and worries in an adult doesn’t necessarily affect a child in the same way.
6. Give hope
Tell them that there are people working to ensure the situation is fixed.
Sources
Sources
Krisinformation.se gathers information from Swedish authorities. All source pages are in Swedish.