When bad news breaks, it can be hard to avoid being affected by it. Your child may be exposed to news about natural disasters, pandemics, terrorism, war, deaths, and other distressing events at school or in the home setting. Parents can help children learn about current affairs and deal with them in a healthy way if bad world news is getting them down.

Your child might react to bad world news by feeling anxious, worried, sad, depressed, scared, helpless, confused or angry.

How to help your child cope with bad world news

1. Understand and manage your own reaction to the news

Check in with how you are going, talk to your partner, or friend, and reach out to other parents and carers for support. It is likely that others in your community are struggling with the news as well. If talking to others amplifies how you are feeling, consider seeking out professional help. You or your partner may have access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and often family members can use the services as well.

Parentline offers free confidential telephone or face to face counselling to any parents: 02 6287 3833.

2. Open the conversation

If you notice that your child seems down or that something is off, check in with your child. Be non-judgmental and offer to listen whatever they have on their mind.

3. Acknowledge your child’s feelings

Your child will feel supported and understood when their feelings are validated. You may reassure that it is okay to feel the way they do, and that you care about them and see their concerns as valid.

4. Switch off together

Discuss with your child the ways to take a break from the news and the ways to look after themselves. You could offer that you take a break from the news as well, and suggest to do activities together. It can be helpful to teach your child that it is okay to tell others that they do not want to talk about the news.

Learn more about world news together

Explain the news in a way your child can understand. Try to share objective facts and news from trusted sources. When they encounter disturbing images or information, they often come up with their own theory which can be worse than the reality. If appropriate (age, maturity, wellbeing etc.), involve your child in discussions. They will take an interest in their community, and have an opportunity to think critically about current affairs and develop their own perspective. Learning about bad world news can be an opportunity for you to discuss with your child what a ‘better’ world might look like and how it could be achieved.

Help your child take action

Although there usually are things, big and small, your child can do, they can rarely stop things from happening. Helping them understand how much influence they can have over something is an important step in reducing their stress.

Taking positive steps to help people and the community around them can improve your child’s wellbeing. If your child wants to take action to help, discuss with them the ways that are realistic and that make sense to them.

• Share their view with their families or friends, discuss with them what they can do now
• Make a donation, if appropriate and able
• Write a letter to the government
• Sign a petition, if appropriate
• Explore future career options

If you have any concerns for your child’s emotional wellbeing, please feel free to get in touch with me.

Ryoko Koyasu - Student and Family Counsellor