Talking with Youth About War, Crisis and Natural Disasters

Children of USG personnel posted overseas learn early on that the world is a place where international events often touch their lives in very profound ways. Foreign Service children may face threats of terrorism, evacuations, war, demonstrations, or natural disasters.  Sometimes they must cope with these stresses at a very early age. Whether the child is two or twenty, he/she may know the people in the foreign capitals who make the news; perhaps it is his/her own parent, teacher, friend, or neighbor who is the subject of attention. The purpose of this site is to assemble the voices of mental health professionals and other experts to guide you as you talk to your Foreign Service children about the troubled world in which we live.

Department of State Resources

Office of Casualty Assistance:  In these uncertain times, tragedy can strike unexpectedly.  When it does, the impact on the lives of children can be significant.  The attached brochure, Children's Reaction to Trauma, published by the Office of Casualty Assistance, can serve as a guideline for helping a child through a difficult time. The brochure breaks down reactions to trauma by age groups and contains a section on helping children understand death and the grieving process.

State Magazine: Helping Our Children Cope with Terrorism, published February 2003, see page 23.

LifeCare.com: Helping Americans Cope During Uncertain Times, Helping Children Cope During Times of War, Coping With Military Deployment.  For Department of State employees, IQ: Information Quest has materials available at http://www.worklife4you.com

Other Resources

American Psychological Association - Resilience in a Time of War - Information for consumers, parents and teachers to help people build resilience in a time of war.

Expat Expert - Expat Parenting in Stressful Times

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA for Kids) - How to Talk to Children About the Threat of Biological Warfare or Terrorist Attacks

Kids Growth Child Health - When the Crisis in Iraq Hits Home, Talking with Children About Iraq, Talking with Kids About War

National Association of School Psychologists - Coping in Unsettling Times includes Helping Children Cope in Unsettling Times, Parents Called to Active Duty: Helping Children Cope, Children and Fear of War and Terrorism - Tips for Parents and Teachers, Helping Children Deal With Tragic Events in Unsettling Times, Crisis Website Links, and Additional NASP Crisis Resources.  A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope: Tips for parents and teachers.

National Center for Children Exposed to Violence (Yale Child Study Center) - Parents' Guide for Talking with their Children about War

National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Terrorist Attacks and Children: How do children respond to trauma?

New York University Child Study Center - Talking to Kids about Terrorism or Acts of War from http://www.AboutOurKids.org 

Purdue University Specialist in Child Development and Family Studies Judith Myers-Wall has researched children's reactions to wars and disasters and offers advice for helping children cope with the terrorist attacks, and their aftermath. When War is in the News and other articles.

Talk to Your Kids - Talking with Kids about the News, includes Tips on Talking about Terrorism, Age Appropriateness of News Items, and Web Resources on Terrorism. 

University of Oklahoma Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Betty J. Pfefferbaum, MD, Chair, provides publications including Coping with Trauma. When a national disaster happens, it is common and normal to have unsettling feelings, thoughts and behaviors.

UCLA Trauma Psychiatry Program - Trauma Information Pamphlet for Parents; Trauma Information Pamphlet for Teachers

Information provided by the Family Liaison Office
Contact the Family Liaison Office