Even though they may be old enough to sit through a scary movie, it can still be difficult for kids to process difficult news like the coronavirus, natural disasters or mass shootings. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach that will work in these situations, taking the time to openly communicate with your child about how they are feeling is important. Here are some tips on how to help guide these conversations:

Ask them what they know and what they think.

• Ask them what they know about the topic. This is a great way to get a sense of their level of understanding and how much they've absorbed. The more information you have, the better prepared you can be to talk about it with them.

• Ask them what they think about the topic. What if anything do they think this event means? How could this change life as we know it? What do they think we should do next? You may not agree with or understand where your child is coming from, but remember that these are questions kids will ask themselves—so be ready!

• Ask them if they have any questions, especially ones that could lead to conversation (i.e., "How would I feel if something like this happened near me?"). It's normal for kids to have questions at first; in fact, asking those questions can help make scary news less scary! So when possible give some thought beforehand about how best to answer those inquiries without overwhelming yourself too much in advance--and don't forget: no news is really "bad" news when it comes from family members who love us unconditionally despite being human beings themselves who struggle sometimes just like everyone else does...

Answer questions honestly.

• Answer questions honestly. Often, this means letting your child know that you don't have all the answers or even understand what he's going through. You can say, "I don't know" or "I'm not sure." This doesn't mean that you're putting words in his mouth—it just shows him that it's okay to say things like "I don't understand," and therefore he shouldn't feel uncomfortable doing so himself.

• Allow yourself time for processing too. It's important for kids to see parents deal with their own emotions rather than shutting down emotionally during times of crisis; otherwise, children may assume that it isn't acceptable to talk about scary news either (or worse yet, blame themselves). When talking about scary events with your children, give yourself time alone afterward—even if only for a few minutes—to process what was discussed before returning home from school or work.* If they ask questions later on during the day or night, encourage them by saying something like: "That sounds like something we could talk more about when we're both feeling better."

Acknowledge their difficulty processing the information.

The world is a scary place. It's filled with violence and fear, and each of us has our own personal fears that keep us up at night. We all want to feel safe in our homes, schools, and communities—but sometimes terrible things happen anyway.

When your child hears about something like an attack or natural disaster on TV or online, it's important for them to know it’s okay to feel afraid and overwhelmed by this news. You can help them process those feelings by acknowledging them: “I know you're scared right now. I wish we weren't hearing all this scary information!” If your child is older than six or seven years old, ask what they think about what happened: "How do you think this will affect other people? What could have been done differently?" This gives kids an opportunity for self-expression while also letting them know that their opinion matters too.

Affirm that they are safe in your care.

While it's impossible for you to protect your child from the world, you can help them feel safe in your care by being honest with them and being a good role model.

The best way to communicate this is through listening. As any parent knows, kids will talk about anything and everything—they just need an attentive listener who isn't going to interrupt them or change the subject. You'll know you're doing a good job as a listener when they feel comfortable opening up about what they're feeling and thinking and asking questions about how the news might affect other people in their lives (like friends and family). This is also an opportunity for open dialogue between parents: it's important that both parents are consistent with how they talk about scary news so that kids can trust both of their parents when they seek comfort or guidance during times of uncertainty like these.

Give them a platform to talk about their feelings.

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Reinforce a sense of normalcy as much as possible.

The other thing you can do to help a child process scary news is to reinforce a sense of normalcy as much as possible. This especially applies if your child thinks his or her life has become more dangerous since the incident in question occurred.

It's natural for kids to be upset by bad news and it's important to let them know it's okay to feel that way and talk about it openly with you.

It's natural for kids to be upset by bad news and it's important to let them know it's okay to feel that way and talk about it openly with you. A lot of parents are surprised by how much their children know about the world around them, even if they don't think they're paying attention. In fact, children are more likely than adults to hear about news events through friends and family members. Your child might bring up what happened in a conversation or ask you questions directly—so make sure your answers are honest and age-appropriate.

It’s okay to be upset. It’s okay to be scared. But, it’s also important to remember that we are in this together and there is a lot that we can do to help one another. As the old saying goes: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life!”