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Organizations, communities and leaders from around the world are recognizing Monday, June 20, as World Refugee Day
Kidscape’s children learn about the notion of belonging to communities, fostering their ability to act with compassion and kindness.
We have compiled a list of tips that first appeared on UNICEF’s website, about how to help your child understand and process what is going on in the world around them.
- Ask open questions and listen
- Try to identify what your child is feeling
- Help your child find the words to express how they are feeling
- Don’t diminish their worries. Make sure you recognise their emotions and reassure them that what they are feeling is okay.
- Be honest
- Make sure you are explaining the truth in a child-friendly way that will leave them feeling their questions have been answered, and they are not left more confused than before.
- Watch their reactions and make sure you are sensitive to them if they are becoming distressed, make sure you reassure them that everything is okay and maybe leave the conversation for another day, however, don’t leave the conversation open.
- Show and explain how people are helping
- Share how people in the community are helping and smiling in the face of the issue. This should help relieve their anxiety and encourage them to extend compassion to others in times of need.
- Close the conversation with care
- From the conversation, identify what else your child may need to talk about the issues covered and how you can support their understanding.
- Reassure them that they can have a conversation with you at any time about anything.
