Aug. 2, 2022

Having Tough Conversations with Our Little Ones

Having Tough Conversations with Our Little Ones

Difficult news and conversations seem to be all around us these days. Molly and Blaire give us tips for talking to little ones about challenging topics while taking care of ourselves at the same time (and letting up on the doom scrolling...)

How do we talk to our kids about things we ourselves don't even fully understand? Some of the most difficult topics to discuss with kids are sex, death, illness, divorce, and natural disasters or tragedies. Molly and Blaire give recommendations for taking care of yourself, guiding the conversation, and avoiding euphemisms or metaphors that may be more harmful than helpful.

Molly and Blaire discuss:

  • Ways to frame death for kids
  • What age to start tough conversations
  • How to discuss tragedies in a nonjudgmental way


Here are links to some of the resources referenced in the episode:

Dr. Steven J. Berkowitz for the Child Mind Institute: "What Makes an Event Traumatic for a Child?"

Lisa Milbrand for Parents.com: "A Step-By-Step Guide to Talking to Kids About Death and Grief"

American Psychological Association: "How to talk to children about difficult news"


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