Upsetting and emotionally heavy news stories can leave parents unsure of how to navigate sensitive issues with their children. Here are some tips on how to be S.M.A.R.T. when handling sensitive news topics with children. These tips are designed to help children manage their anxiety instead of feeling helpless or overwhelmed.
Set a limit. Be intentional and set a specific time limit for your own and your children’s news consumption. Stick to age-appropriate sources and consider watching or reading the news together so you can explain things as you go. Turn off automatic news notifications. Encourage children to briefly acknowledge what is going on, especially those in helping roles. While they may not like or agree with what is going on, they can acknowledge those trying to make a difference.
Make room for discomfort. Let children know to expect discomfort. Show empathy and understanding by briefly sharing your reactions after you have had a chance to process the news. Reassure your children that feeling a stress response is completely normal. The perceived threat to self or others from news stories activates their sympathetic nervous system and is what leads to a physical stress response and a desire to take action. Although it is not always possible to take action on national and global issues, parents can encourage youth to shift their focus to what is in their control, makes them feel happy and contributes to making the world a better place.
Acknowledge unhelpful thinking styles. Our brains are wired to selectively attend to and focus first on sources of threat over the mundane and non-threatening. Be careful to not overly favor information that confirms anxious beliefs, as this may not always be accurate. This is called confirmation bias and can contribute to anxiety as it can lead to a negative outlook and inaccurate beliefs.
Reporting style matters. Be intentional and choose reputable news sources that resonate with you. Attempt to better understand the topic before speaking with your children about it. For young children or particularly emotionally vulnerable children, limiting their exposure to news coverage that might be upsetting to them makes sense. A more matter-of-fact reporting style, as opposed to a dramatic or sensationalizing style, may lessen feelings of fear or being overwhelmed. Reading the news may also be less stressful than watching or listening to it as emotion is not as strongly tied to information presented in print format.
Take action. Discuss with your children something that you all can do at home or in your local community to make a difference on these issues in a practical and helpful way. Try to remember that even on opposing sides of a sensitive issue, there is often a common ground. Remind children that they have the ability to manage and regulate their emotions through activities and coping skills, such as talking to a trusted adult or taking deep breaths when feeling hopeless or overwhelmed. Consider having your children journal about what they would do to help improve the current issues or use journaling as a way to practice gratitude. Volunteering is another way to give back and contribute.
Navigating conversations around sensitive news information is challenging for anyone of any age. Although discussing sensitive news information in a S.M.A.R.T. manner can still be uncomfortable for both parents and children, having these open and honest age-appropriate conversations can help children and parents reduce anxiety surrounding current events and feel more empowered in their ability to make a difference.