Talking with Youth about War, Crisis and Natural Disasters

Children of USG personnel posted overseas learn early on that the world is a place where international events often touch their lives in very profound ways. Foreign Service children may face threats of terrorism, evacuations, war, demonstrations, or natural disasters.  Sometimes they must cope with these stresses at a very early age. Whether the child is two or twenty, he/she may know the people in the foreign capitals who make the news; perhaps it is his/her own parent, teacher, friend, or neighbor who is the subject of attention. The purpose of this page is to assemble the voices of mental health professionals and other experts to guide you as you talk to your Foreign Service children about the troubled world in which we live.

For parents experiencing an unaccompanied tour, also see FLO's portfolio of information under Unaccompanied Tours: Support and Information. 

Talking to Kids about Current Events

• Washington Post - Dr. Michael Thomas, author/psychologist, advisor to PBS Talking to Kids, led an online discussion of how to talk to kids about Hurricane Katrina.  The transcript is available online.
• Talking with Kids about Tough Topics - PBS Talking to Kids.
• How to Talk to your Child About the News
• Explaining World Tragedy to Children
• It Happened Over There - Empathy with Children's Books - how to use children's literature to deepen a child's understanding of the people affected by the tsunami. This website has a list and review of books that parents and teachers can use with children.
• Common Sense Media - This website about the media provides parents with tips for talking to kids about a variety of issues. 

Department of State Resources

Office of Casualty Assistance
In these uncertain times, tragedy can strike unexpectedly. When it does, the impact on the lives of children can be significant. The brochure, Children's Reaction to Trauma, published by the Office of Casualty Assistance, can serve as a guideline for helping a child through a difficult time. The brochure breaks down reactions to trauma by age groups and contains a section on helping children understand death and the grieving process.

LifeCare.com
For Department of State employees, IQ: Information Quest has materials available at http://www.worklife4you.com  / Helping Children Cope with School Violence (intranet link)

Other Resources

• American Psychological Association - APA Help Center: Disasters and Terrorism - Information for consumers, parents and teachers to help people build resilience in a time of war.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA for Kids) - How to Talk to Children About the Threat of Biological Warfare or Terrorist Attacks
• Kids Growth Child Health - When the Crisis in Iraq Hits Home, Talking with Children About Iraq, Talking with Kids About War
• National Association of School Psychologists - Information for Families / Talking with Kids about Violence
• National Center for Children Exposed to Violence (Yale Child Study Center) - Parents' Guide for Talking with their Children about War
• National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - How do children respond to trauma?
• New York University Child Study Center - Talking to Kids about Terrorism or Acts of War from http://www.AboutOurKids.org 
• Purdue University Specialist in Child Development and Family Studies Judith Myers-Wall has researched children's reactions to wars and disasters and offers advice for helping children cope with the terrorist attacks, and their aftermath. When War is in the News and other articles.
• Talk to Your Kids - Talking with Kids about the News, includes Tips on Talking about Terrorism, Age Appropriateness of News Items, and Web Resources on Terrorism. 
• Trauma Psychiatry Program, University of California, Los Angeles - Trauma Information Pamphlet for Parents, Trauma Information Pamphlet for Teachers
• University of Oklahoma Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Betty J. Pfefferbaum, MD, Chair, provides publications including Coping with Trauma. When a national disaster happens, it is common and normal to have unsettling feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
• UCLA Trauma Psychiatry Program - Trauma Information Pamphlet for Parents; Trauma Information Pamphlet for Teachers

Information provided by the Family Liaison Office
Contact the Family Liaison Office