LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The ongoing conflict in Iran may be reaching children through school lessons and social media, and mental health professionals say parents may feel unprepared to address it.
What kids are seeing
Hillary Lewis, a guidance counselor at Bath County Middle School, said the topic is already coming up in classrooms.
“Our 8th grade social studies teacher, we had that conversation recently, and I know it’s coming up; it’s coming up in classes,” Lewis said.
What experts recommend
Dr. Clint Nowicke, a psychologist with Norton’s Medical Group, said parents should be aware of what their children are consuming on social media and consider limiting that exposure.
“It’s a good idea for parents to have an awareness of what their kids are consuming on social media and limit it to a timeframe of maybe 15 minutes to 30 minutes for high schoolers,” Nowicke said.
Nowicke added it is also beneficial for parents to proactively initiate conversations about world events, particularly with older children.
“It’s okay to bring it up, just to ask a general question of, ‘what kind of things are you seeing?’ And letting the kid lead that conversation,” he said.
Avoiding unnecessary anxiety
Lewis said parents should be careful not to escalate children’s fears when discussing the conflict.
“Try to avoid conversations that include drastic means, or drastic words like, ‘World War 3,’ not making things seem bigger or worse than they are, and explaining the distance between us and Iran, I think some of those things are important as well,” Lewis said.
Nowicke also referenced advice attributed to Mr. Rogers, who said his mother told him to “look to your helpers” — meaning children should turn to trusted people in their lives when they encounter scary things.
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