A collaboration among:

100 Black Men of America, Inc.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

American Academy of Child and

Adolescent Psychiatry

American Psychiatric Association

Congress of National Black 

Churches, Inc.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

National Association of Black 

Social Workers

National Black Child Development

Institute

National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.

National Institute of Child Health

and Human Development

National Medical Association

Helping 

Children Cope

with Crisis

A Guide for

African American

Parents

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Public Health Service

National Institutes of Health

A Guide for

African American

Parents

NIH Pub. No. 03-5362A

About This Brochure 

The National Institute of Child Health

and Human Development (NICHD), part

of the National Institutes of Health, and

the National Black Child Development

Institute (NBCDI) are working together

with parents, professionals, and leaders of

national African American organizations

to provide parents with the information

and resources they need to inspire hope

and provide comfort and a sense of safety

for their children. Through this collaboration, these groups will develop an

activity booklet that will expand upon the

advice in this brochure and will provide

parents with age-appropriate activities and

ideas for enhancing communication with

their children.

To order additional brochures, call the

NICHD Information Resource Center at

1-800-370-2943, or visit the Web site at:

http://www.nichd.nih.gov.

Additional Resources:

American Academy of Child and 

Adolescent Psychiatry

http://www.aacap.org

American Psychiatric Association

http://www.psych.org

National Black Child Development Institute

http://www.nbcdi.org

National Institute of Child Health and Human

Development

“Adventures in Parenting”

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/

publications/pubs/parenting/index.cfm

National Institute of Mental Health 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov 

National Medical Association 

To locate African American physicians nationwide

in all medical fields 

1-888-662-7497

http://www.nmanet.org
“Parents have the most important job in the

world.We know how influential they and other

caregivers are in the lives of our children,

especially in times of stress.Through this 

collaboration we have translated our research into

materials that African American parents can use

to ensure the well-being of their children.”

DUANE ALEXANDER, M.D.

DIRECTOR, NICHD

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 have

affected us all in many different ways. Sometimes we

don’t even realize how we have changed after

watching the media images of the World Trade Towers

falling to the ground and the Pentagon burning. In the

best of times,African American families experience

more than their share of violence, insecurity, and

unemployment.The attacks on the United States on

September 11, 2001, the sustained media coverage of the

violence and devastation, and the mobilization of the war

on terrorism place an additional burden on our families.

Our children, too, have been affected. Even if they don’t

say it, they may be afraid that something else “bad” will

happen.They may fear for your safety and worry more

when you go to work or leave them at school. But there

are ways we can help our children feel hopeful, safe,

secure, and loved.The following are some ways we can

help our children, particularly those age 12 and under,

cope with crisis:

■ Inspire hope in your child

■ Be still and listen to your child

■ Comfort your child

■ Give your child information that is appropriate

for her/his age

■ Help your child feel safe

■ Make plans with your child for emergencies

■ Help your child feel good about him or herself

■ Pay attention to what your child watches 

on TV

■ Share your faith with your child

■ Identify signs of stress in your child

Inspire hope in your child.

Parents have an important impact on children’s response to

crisis.Your reactions will guide your child’s response. If you are

hopeful, look for solutions and take positive steps in response

to a crisis or traumatic event—your child will benefit by your

example.

Be still and listen to your child.

Take a quiet moment to talk to your child and then really

listen to what he or she says.Turn off the television or radio

and ignore the phone. Give your child your complete

attention.Ask him about his day and how he’s feeling. Let

your child know you are listening by responding with brief

comments, asking for more details, or re-stating something she

has said to be sure you understood.Tell him it’s o.k. to be

afraid or angry; we all feel that way sometimes.Tell your child

you will protect her and love her. If your child prefers not to

talk, just play with him and spend time doing things he likes

to do. Spending time with your child will give him more

opportunities to talk to you when he feels like it.

Comfort your child.

We could all use a few extra hugs. Even a hand on the

shoulder, pat on the head, or a kind word can help reassure

your child.Tell your child you love her and that you will be

there for her. Remind her that other people love her and care

about her, such as relatives, friends, or caregivers.Tell her what

time you will pick her up from school, or when you’ll be

home from work. Schedules can be helpful in comforting a

child. Children also worry about their parents. Let your child

know that you are okay.

Give your child information that is 

appropriate for his or her age.

Do not let your young children watch the replaying of a crisis

or other acts of violence on television. Explain what is

happening in your own words and from your point of view.

Tell them only as much as you think they can understand.

Answer any questions your child might have, and remember to

be calm and talk at the child’s level. If you need advice about

what information is appropriate to share with your child, ask

your child’s health care provider, or look on the back of this

brochure to find other resources.

Help your child feel safe.

Tell your child that you will take care of her and protect her.

Remind him that other people can also help him: friends,

family, teachers, neighbors, and religious leaders. Make sure

your child knows how to reach you, or someone she trusts, at

all times. Help your child memorize phone numbers or put a

card with phone numbers in his backpack.

Make plans with your child for 

emergencies.

Help your child know what to do in different emergency

situations.Together, make a written plan that includes

emergency information appropriate for your child. Identify

safe meeting places near your home or your child’s school.

This plan should help your child be prepared and reassure her

that you are also prepared.

Help your child feel good about him 

or herself.

Praise your child for what he does well; and tell him how

proud you are of him.Tell your child that she’s good, smart,

strong, and beautiful. Point out the things she does well,

whether it’s school work, helping around the house, being

nice to others, playing sports, creating art, or telling jokes.

Focus on the good things as much as possible. Smile, laugh,

and play with your child.

Pay attention to what your child 

watches on TV.

Know what your child is watching on TV, not only the

shows, but the news and commercials as well. Don’t allow

children to watch violent and disturbing events, repeatedly.

Make sure television programs are appropriate to your child’s

age.Watch TV with your child so that you can help him to

understand what he is seeing. Interactive viewing, or talking

back to the images on TV helps your child form opinions

about what she is seeing. For example, if you think a

character on TV is doing something you don’t want your

child to do, say so.

Share your faith with your child.

Sharing your spirituality and beliefs with your child can be a

source of comfort. If you are a religious person, your faith

tradition and practices can be a source of strength and

security. Share a prayer, a hymn, or verses from scripture with

your child.

Identify signs of stress in your child.

Pay attention to changes in the way your child looks and acts.

If you notice one or more of the following changes in your

child, talk to your child’s health care provider, teacher, school

counselor, or a mental health professional.

■ Clinging behavior

■ Fears that won’t go away

■ Nightmares

■ Bedwetting

■ Difficulty paying attention

■ Jumpiness, edginess

■ Behavior problems in school

■ Headaches, stomachaches, or dizziness for 

no known reason

■ Sadness or being less active

■ Always talking about or acting out a disaster

■ Irritability

■ Changes in eating behavior

■ Decrease in academic performance

Helping Children Cope with Crisis