Technology has a way of zooming world events right into our lap at warp speed. The front row seat we seem to have isn’t always the best seat in the house, especially when the news is frightening or discouraging. This month, we offer ideas for navigating tough news and events with our kids.

Be the one to share

When the news is tough, it’s always better for children to hear about it from someone they love and trust. When delivering difficult news, follow these steps: 1) Pray to the Holy Spirit before you speak, asking for wisdom and guidance; 2) Deliver the facts in an age-appropriate way, basing vocabulary on age and maturity. For example, “someone was hurt” is sufficient for a young child; 3) Answer their questions as completely and truthfully as you can: “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand” are acceptable; 4) Call out God’s promises: He is good, he will protect, he will guide, he is powerful and mighty, he is trustworthy; 5) Pray! Pray for the hurting, for those who love them and for those who will come to their aid.

The anchor

The anchor steadies the ship, and God is our anchor in the storms of life. Two powerful parts of that anchor are hope and trust. We hope in him, and we trust him because we know God is unchanging, compassionate and merciful. Talk about times when your family trusted God in tough times and he steadied, blessed and guided you.

Not random

God is not random, and he makes himself known in both good and bad situations. Only God is aware of the good that can come from unspeakably difficult situations. Lean on Scripture and past experiences to illustrate his faithfulness. Imagine how things may have turned out differently for the Israelites if Joseph’s brothers hadn’t sold him into slavery to the Egyptians. It’s our job to trust and hope in his plan, even when we don’t understand it.

Truthfulness and faithfulness

In a world filled with misinformation, we need to seek the truth. If your children are old enough, teach them how to search for news from reliable, trustworthy sources and allow them to ask questions and form ideas and opinions. Navigate the news through a biblical and faithful lens. Allow them to look up the places and people affected on a map to add to their knowledge and perspective. Evil works in the dark; misinformation, despair, fear and panic are not of God.

Helpfulness

Since bad news and tragedy can leave us feeling helpless, tackling this feeling can bring peace. Find out what agencies or groups are on the ground helping and see how you might assist them. Taking kids to Mass or to church to light a candle or pray a rosary can create a feeling of helpfulness. Contacting a religious order that accepts prayer requests or inviting friends to pray together will highlight our privilege and responsibility to be intercessory pray-ers and help us teach our children that we have to lift our eyes to the Father and trust.