Responding to Our Unpredictable World

Are you struggling to explain world events to your child (and even to yourself)? There may be nothing more difficult than helping children make sense of the violence happening both here at home and across the globe.

Keeping your fingers crossed that your children won’t hear the news isn’t really an option. Friends, teachers, neighbors and social media are all ongoing sources of opinions and information, whether accurate or not. When possible, it's best for kids to first hear about events from you. And you’ll want to approach these discussions in ways that strengthen both hope and resilience.

Before you begin, tune into your own needs and emotions and get support to navigate those. Skipping this step may lead you to communicate despair, fear or other strong emotions to your child without meaning to do so. Listening with care to what your child knows and perceives about any given issue is a good place to start. This workshop will help you know where to go from there.

Here is what participants shared:
I just love and appreciate the resource of Peace at Home. Whenever I attend I feel 'good' about my parenting, but also learn what I can do better. The team is amazing, supporting me to share my own stories/flaws and fears. They provide such a safe environment with encouragement and guidance.
I loved the solutions that you offered to us and the techniques for managing these difficult conversations. I specifically liked the ones you listed for how to set intentions for some meetings that we have internally, especially when you know that the topic is a heated one.

School shootings are far to frequent. Helping parents cope with their fears and providing much needed calm for their children is a tall order. Help Your Child Feel Safe in an Unpredictable World gives parents tools and strategies to repair the emotional injuries and fear that these events cause. After this workshop parents will be able to (1) Recognize the role that they play in helping children feel safe (2) Define and apply self-regulation and co-regulation during difficult times, (3) Develop coping mechanisms to deal with stress and worry as a parent and with their children, (4) Support their children to build overall resilience and optimism and (5) Apply communication approaches that help children remember there is more good in the world than danger.

As the perfect storm of "parental burnout" among working parents and our ongoing pediatric mental health crisis gained strength, Peace at Home responded with The Kids Are Not Alright: 7 Steps to Make Your Home Their Safe Place. This important program DOC Journey founder, David Hanscom, MD and Peace at Home experts focused on the physiology of chronic stress and practical steps parents can take to protect children's mental health and overall wellbeing.

When families were reeling from acts of violence in Buffalo, NY, Peace at Home responded with Racism & Resilience: Stay Well and Do Good. Providing guidance and resources on how to talk to kids about racism, violence and hate crimes. The workshop covers (1) How to talk about differences in a positive, supportive way to children of all ages (2) When is the right time to begin talking to your child about race and racism (3) Common barriers that parents run into when addressing racism and how to overcome them.

When Supreme Court decisions, the January 6th hearings, and other political issues impacted both work and home life for parents, Peace at Home responded with Handing Hot Topics with Your Kids and Colleagues. The blurry lines between work and home can make it hard to leave stress at the door. The good news is that the skills working parents need to manage the anxiety of work, home, and the world are the same. Colleagues may be discussing controversial topics in the workplace. Kids may be asking hard questions about political issues. Parents may be struggling with maintaining a calm, positive perspective on the job and as a family member. Peace at Home addressed how to recognize and manage personal triggers, help children understand and process information they will hear, and how to communicate effectively in ways that invite kids and colleagues to listen with care and help you understand the perspectives of others.