Parents: How to Talk to Children About Haiti Disaster

Jan. 15, 2010— -- We've all been glued to the TV set since Tuesday, watching as Haiti copes with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. As a result, you might be struggling over how to talk to your children about the disaster, and how to protect them from news overload.

In terms of exposure, less is more. Even young children can pick up on the emotional content of the nightly news. Studies have shown that infants whose mothers watched afternoon soaps exhibited signs of distress when characters on TV cried or fought, so imagine how the images of the Haitian people's distress — particularly those of children crying — affect your little one.

Share your feelings. Start the dialogue yourself with comments like "I find the news stories about this earthquake really upset me." Then see how they respond.

Show them that people aren't powerless. Talk about how much help and assistance Haiti is receiving and how much more is on its way. Point out the good and hopeful stories of recovery as they arise.