How to talk to children about Ukraine

If, like me, you're struggling to take in the news coming from Ukraine at the moment, you might also have wondered if and how to talk to your children about it.

My daughter is twelve, so shielding her from it is not an option. Like many her age she is a huge fan of TikTok and, unlike many previous global events, this war is all over the popular social media platform. As much as I wish I didn't have to talk about tragic events such as a war taking place not too far from home, I worry I am going to have to.

On 25th February mirror.co.uk published an article on this by Kelly-Ann Mills. In it Kelly-Ann asks if we should try and shield our children from the bad things in the world or give them the information they need to try and understand what is happening. Kelly-Ann asks a number of experts for their views, including bereavement counsellor Dr John Wilson, who told the Mirror: "Children pick up and hear far more than we give them credit for.

"They hear snippets of adult conversations and can hear the news blaring from television sets and radios.

"When they’re at school, they may hear other children talking about the war.

"Put it this way, it will remain hard to shield them from what is happening."

He added: "It’s not realistic to protect children from everything sad or frightening in life."

I am going to have to discuss these events with my child, so what is the best way to have the conversation?

Unicef.org.uk have put together six tips to help us talk to children about what's happening in Ukraine and support them through the ongoing conflict.

Their tips are:

1. Be aware - look out for changes in their behaviour.
2. Listen first - do they want to talk about it? What questions do they have?
3. Be honest and calm - Keep them safe from harmful language and content, acknowledge you are worried too but try not to overshare your own fears.
4. Focus on the helpers - Find positive stories about people helping those in Ukraine.
5. Be there for one another - Continue to check in with your child and ask how they are feeling.
6. Look after yourself - Be mindful of how much news you are exposing yourself to and take care of your own well-being.

A quick Google search provided me with articles from most major news outlets to help parents broach the subject of Ukraine with their children. I found the information above from Mirror.co.uk and Unicef and both are definitely worth a read.

It is also worth looking for age appropriate news sources for children.

BBC's Newsround is a perfect example of this. Their content on Ukraine is stored together in one place on the website rather than all over the homepage, so you might find your children choose to read about other, lighter news too. The content on Ukraine is tailored to young people. Check it out here: BBC Newsround.