Whether tragic events touch your family personally or are brought into your home via newspapers and television, you can help children cope with the anxiety that violence, death and disasters can cause. Listening and talking to children about their concerns can reassure them that they will be safe. Start by encouraging them to discuss how they have been affected by what is happening around them. Even young children may have specific questions about tragedies.
Children react to stress at their own developmental level.
Listen to what they say. Provide comfort and assurance that address their specific fears. Talk on their level. Communicate with your children in a way they can understand. Tell them exactly what has happened.