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Oregon Conference Children & Families

March, 2022

What to say to your kids when news is scary…

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8

What can we say to our kids when the news is scary?

And it so often is! It can be hard to know - do I tell them what is happening? Do I let them remain innocent or is it best to prepare them? Here are some tips from child counselors and education experts to help you know what may work for your family:

Ask questions - find out what your child already knows, and let them take the lead, always considering their age and development.
Answer questions honestly and briefly. Always tell the truth, and its ok to say you don’t know.
Limit their exposure. Decide how much is appropriate and set boundaries to help your child have the right amount for what they need at this stage of life.
Refocus on the positive. Think of the famous Mr. Rogers quote “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. '" Talk about positive things your child can do to help and look for how others are helping in hard situations.
Pray - pray often for and with your child. Remind them that no matter what happens here, God is good, all powerful, and loves them very much.

For more info, check out this article from KidsHealth.Org

Pastor Macy's Story:
Baby strapped to my back, I was at Ikea, feeling unmotivated and a little sorry for myself. I’d gone to walk through the winding aisles and finally get curtain rods. My mom called and sent me to look for something– in the midst of this, a lady pushing a stroller said, “I want to talk to you!”. Unlike my husband, I’m not someone who routinely makes friends with strangers at stores; hanging up, I asked her what was up. “Our kids look like they’re about the same age” she said. “I was wondering if you know of any mommy groups or play groups that we could go to.” “The only thing I know about is at my church” I answered, giving her my business card and writing our Sabbath school class info on the back. We both went on with our shopping. She didn’t come that Sabbath, and I figured that was the end of it. Except, it wasn’t. She’s been to church 4 times now, coming for our class, sometimes staying for the church service and soup lunch. It has reminded me that God is always at work. In our church, we’re restarting small groups – after a 2 year hiatus. This “chance” meeting has prompted us to make sure there are groups geared towards kids and families; hiking, singing, and a play group. The Bible tells us that, “ ….Jesus said to them, ‘My Father never stops working. And so I work, too.’” (John 5:17, International Children’s Bible). I’m so glad that Jesus is working, even now, in our lives!
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