Nannies from the Heartland is one of our Nanny Fusion members. They have a wonderful blog and this is another of their great articles by Becky Kavanagh
In light of all the recent major happenings, world news, severe weather damage, earthquakes and ******more, we thought that this article by Becky Kavanagh over at Heartland Nannies Blog was timely and appropriate.
Difficult times for children can include personal issues but also world situations. They hear about earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, flooding, protests, government transitions, terrorist attacks and more. Whether these are close to home or on the evening news, our children feel the loss and pain of these tragedies. Children are trying to cope on different levels and they are looking to the adults in their lives for stability, security and perspective.
Keep lines of communication open and be ready to listen. Hear their concerns, fears, observations and questions. While we may want to downplay their fears and concerns we should respect their feelings. Answer questions honestly and clearly while providing support and reassurance. You may need to ask some leading questions to help them verbalize. “Tell me more about that” is great statement to encourage sharing. Children who are showing distress but not talking about it may need your gentle guidance to conversation.
You can read the rest of the article on the Heartland Nannies Blog
http://nanniesheartland.blogspot.com/2011/05/coping-with-difficult-times.html?spref=tw