Helping Children After Tragic Events: Information For Parents & Caregivers
Help kids by turning off the TV and listening.
It’s important for adults to understand the serious impact that tragic events can have on kids, and how to help them.
To comfort kids, parents and caregivers can spend more time with children, talking and listening to them.
It is a good idea to:
- Turn off the TV or watch less.
- Talk to children. Let them to ask questions and talk about what they feel.
- For preschool-age children: explain that they are safe and far away from the event. Tell them that they can always come to you when feeling scared.
- For school-age children: remind them that the disaster wasn’t their fault. Help them share their worries. Give them realistic information. Answer their questions calmly and tell them that they are safe.
- For teens: let them know that feeling scared is common. Share your own feelings with them. Remind them that everyone needs family and friends for support.
- Comfort children. Show concern. Play games together, read, color, or take a walk.
- Stick with your regular routine. Routines can help children feel safe.
- Learn children’s signs of stress.
- Children of all ages can develop signs of stress.
- They may cry a lot more, have headaches, and not sleep well.
- They may act out or become withdrawn.
- Know when and where to get help if your child is stressed. Read below for information and resources.
Remember:
Your reaction to a tragic event affects your ability to help your child. Adults should also get help when they are feeling overwhelmed.
Find resources and programs that can help you by visiting these links:
- Mental Health Program Directory: a portal to help you find a provider of mental health services.
- Coping with a Traumatic Event: a fact sheet from the CDC that outlines some symptoms you might be experiencing and where to go for help.
- NYS/Crisis Text Line Partnership: New York State has partnered with Crisis Text Line, an anonymous texting service available 24/7. Starting a conversation is easy. Text GOT5 to 741741.
You can also call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Disaster Distress Helpline, which provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
Callers and texters are connected to trained and caring professionals from a network of crisis centers across the country. Helpline staff provide supportive counseling, including information on common stress reactions and healthy coping, as well as referrals to local disaster-related resources for follow-up care and support.
Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs or Hablanos to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
The Disaster Distress Helpline’s number 1-800-846-8517 is available to all hard of hearing and deaf people.
Resources
Children of color are particularly vulnerable and need support and attention when they’re a witness to violence and trauma—especially when it's happening to people who look like them. Read more about how to Help Children of Color Heal from Collective Trauma.
Tips & More Information
- Children & Disasters: Top Ten Things to Know: Gives a list of 10 steps that you can take to help your child after a tragic event.
- Helping Children & Adolescents Cope with Violence & Disasters: What Parents Can Do: Explains trauma and children’s reactions during the first few days and beyond, and how adults can help children of all ages.
- Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event: Guides parents with detailed information about how to help children after a traumatic event, and how to know when a child is struggling.
- Tips for Talking With & Helping Children & Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event: Gives tips on helping children cope with trauma, including when to seek more help.
- Helping Children with Disabilities Cope with Disaster & Traumatic Events: Gives information on how adults can cope, as well as how to comfort children. Includes more links for help.
- Talking to Children About Tragedies & Other News Events: Provides tips for parents and caregivers on how to handle media overexposure during tragedies.
Activities for Children
- Sesame Street in Communities: Traumatic Experiences: Gives information for parents and caregivers to help children after a traumatic experience. Includes videos and activities for children from the ages of 0-6, as well as links to advice for parents on offering comfort, exploring emotions, and more.
- Too Much Weather: Links to an activity book that children can use following a natural disaster that can help children understand what they are feeling.
- Caring for Children in a Disaster: Includes age-appropriate games and activities for children to do during and after a weather emergency.
- My Helping Book: A Guided Activity Coloring Book for Children: Links to a children’s coloring book that may be useful during or after a tragic event.
Video
- Helping Your Child Cope with Media Coverage of Disasters: Teaches parents how to help their children cope with media coverage of tragic events.
