About this episode
Whether a school shooting or a deadly tornado, scary events in the news can leave parents struggling to know when — and how — they should talk with their kids about it. Rosemarie Truglio of Sesame Workshop and Tara Conley, a media studies professor at Montclair State University, give us tips. - Limit their exposure to breaking news. - For the really big stories, pick a quiet moment and start the conversation by asking what kids have heard and how they're feeling. - Give facts and context: Let kids know that most scary news events are rare. Show them where it is happening on a map. - When they ask why something happened, avoid labels like "bad guys." - Encourage kids to process the story through play, art, even video. - Take positive action together. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy