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 A crisis can happen at any moment. When tragedy strikes, it can be difficult for a child to process. Here's how parents can help.

Featured Content

 

 

Five Tips for Overcoming Stress and Sadness During Times of Crisis

​​I have heard from numerous people, including parents, that they are experiencing more chronic sadness. Many of them have shared their own struggles regarding trying to look on the bright side of things — especially during this recent pandemic crisis.

Have you caught coronavirus panic? Stop your stress and mentally reset!

​​The stock market is gyrating. Schools are closing. A virus is spreading. Thousands are self-quarantining. And any public sniffle or sneeze is getting a suspicious side-eye.

Trauma, Tragedy and Children

It is crucial that parents, teachers, and other adults are honest with children when they ask about a tragedy they’ve just heard about, regardless of how far away it happened.

Conversation Starters

Having trouble getting more than a few words out of your children? Try asking specific, pointed questions that require more than a simple "yes" or "no."

Helping Children Cope with the Unexpected

When natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or other senseless acts of violence occur, the depth of the destruction and harm can leave many children emotionally shaken.

How to Encourage Your Children to Help After a Natural Disaster

Regardless of how your child gets involved, their desire to do so shows genuine empathy and a moral desire to help others, which are characteristics that should be praised and encouraged.

Media Bombardment

The abundance of media can offer a world of excitement and discovery for children. But it can also open up a world of negative, harmful messages your child may not be ready to handle.

Should I Keep My Child from Hearing Negative Media Coverage about a Crisis?

Your best bet is to monitor what they're taking in and then make sure that you talk to them about what they are thinking and feeling when they see or hear these things.

How to Talk About Death With a Child

My seven-year-old child has a best friend in the final stages of a long battle with cancer. How do we tell her and her 10-year-old brother that the friend won't be with us much longer?

Parenting Tools for Home

 

 

99 Coping Skills

Children who use coping skills to calm themselves down can then ​problem-solve without their emotions getting in the way.

Feelings and Coping Skills

Make sure your child has the coping skills they need to handle difficult situations. Our new coping skills tool helps you build a custom coping skills guide based on your child’s age, their feelings, and the activities they enjoy.
Crisis Tips

Crisis Tip Sheet

Children exposed to alarming media reports may have difficulty processing the information. We have a Crisis Tip Sheet on how to help your kids deal with a crisis.

Our parenting content is built on the research-proven Boys Town Model® and is written by a team of child behavior experts.

It is often said that parenting is the toughest job there is.

The ​parenting experts at Boys Town have​ developed this email series to help you become a better parent and address common ​situations that often arise when raising children. Sign up now.​

 

Our guides contain preselected content that is popular among our readers, but if you don't see what you are looking for, see all our Parenting Through Crisis content.