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Telling kids directly what's going on when there's bad news can protect them from fear, anxiety, and stress.

Reassuring kids about the actual risk can minimize their worrying when something bad happens.

Focusing on how your family can cope and who is helping can help kids remain positive.

Talking directly to kids about what's happening in the world is the best approach during tough times.

These days it can feel like the amount of bad news and tragedies in the world is overwhelming. As adults, we have different strategies for coping, but it can be tricky figuring out how to talk to little ones about bad things that happen, whether it’s the death of a close relation or scary things happening around the world. Kids are often curious and pick up bits of things they overhear. When kids ask direct questions, it can be confusing for caregivers to know what and how much to share. It often feels like a balancing act between giving information and not causing fear, stress, or anxiety in children and adolescents. Fortunately, we have some guidelines about what to do in these moments.

We all know the adage “honesty is the best policy.” It holds up here too. Kids deserve an honest answer. Honesty avoids confusion, misunderstanding, and later distress if they learn they were deceived. Caregivers may be tempted to censor the truth to protect kids, but being honest in an age-appropriate way is always best. For very young children, this is simply stating the facts: “Uncle Charlie died. We won’t see him again.” Or “There’s a war happening. That’s why your friend Sutton’s dad is away. He’s a soldier protecting our country.” Keep the language simple and straightforward. Do not give a lot of detail. Whether it’s a pet or a human, never describe death as sleep. This creates sleep fears in children and is untrue.

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