“Mom, why is there war?”: Sensitive conversations about a difficult topic

War is a complex and difficult subject. It is a sensitive topic to talk about, often marked by incredible sadness and despair. It is important that we as parents and adults talk to children about war to give them insight into this difficult subject. We need to support them, create understanding and give them a sense of security.

But why is it important for parents to talk about war

We are aware that the following assessments are very individual, must be viewed depending on the age of the child and, of course, the individual development of your own child must also be taken into account. 

As parents, we want to protect our children from the terrible things in the world. However, war is an issue that we cannot ignore. It is important that we as parents educate our children about war and prepare them for the reality.

Children can learn about war through media coverage or by talking to friends. If we as parents don't talk about it, we can leave our children in a world where they don't understand what's going on. We need to prepare our children for the fact that there is conflict in the world and that they need to learn how to deal with it.

How can you talk to children about war?

The subject of war is difficult for adults to digest, but it can be even more difficult for children. It is important that parents are sensitive and gentle when discussing this subject with their children. Children should not be confronted with details of cruelty and violence that they cannot understand. Instead, parents should try to explain the subject in a way that children can understand.

It can be helpful to use stories or books to illustrate the topic. Or a coloring page… It is also important to help children understand that there are many people fighting for peace and justice and that they can make a difference by incorporating kindness and compassion into their own actions. There are also many books and online resources that can support parents in educating their children about war and conflict in a sensitive and understandable way.

How do you deal with feelings like fear and sadness?

It's hard to explain to a child why there is war. It's even harder to explain how to deal with the feelings that come with it. But it's important that we as parents and guardians have these conversations. When children feel fear and sadness, we need to show them that it's OK to have these feelings. We should help them find ways to deal with these emotions by listening to them and offering them our support.

In times of war and political unrest, it can be difficult to instill hope and confidence in children. But as parents, we can help our children by giving them a positive outlook on the future.

We should show them that there are always people who are committed to peace and justice and that they themselves can contribute to it.

We can also teach them that it is important to be open and tolerant and that in every situation there is an opportunity to do something good. Through such conversations we can give our children hope and confidence in the future and help them to develop into strong and optimistic personalities.