JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The news coming out of Ukraine is both heartbreaking and can be hard for adults to process, and even harder for children.
Psychologist Dr. Tracy Alloway said it's important to keep an open conversation with your children about what's happening in Ukraine.
“The main thing to keep in mind is that children are naturally curious," she said. "So, rather than evading the question, or even getting annoyed or angry at them for responding, is to create an open environment for them to ask questions. So, encourage questions," Alloway said.
"And part of that is curiosity for children, and another part is fear. Oftentimes, anxiety lives for fear of the unknown. And that's not just true of children. It's true for adults a lot of times," she said.
Alloway said what you discuss should depend on the child's age.
“For younger children, even under the age of 10, for some children maybe under the age of 12, depending as a parent, you know best, but just remember that they may deal with very concrete information, almost, what do they know? What are their experiences related to, and focus on that," she said.
"You could liken it to situations that, you know, are familiar to them. In contrast, when we start working with preteens, teenagers, they may be more comfortable dealing with abstract. You can even talk about the kinds of emotions individuals are experiencing. Is it fear? Is it anger? Try to encourage them to develop a sense of empathy, " Alloway said.
She said it's important to bring the conversation back to what is in their control, and to reassure them that they're safe and that you love them. It's also ok to tell them that there's uncertainty with the situation.
Also be mindful of your emotions related to what's going on, Alloway said.
“As parents or as adults, we reflect and transmit information to our children. And this is so important to keep in mind that if you need a moment as an adult to process, maybe feel comfortable telling your child, you know, 'we don't know a lot. Let's come back when we know a little bit more,'" she said.
Alloway said if you look at news about Russia and Ukraine, set a time limit for yourself and end that time with an uplifting story.