Sign up for our free newsletter:

 1 of 2

Our children need more of our help these days to calm their fears about terrorism and about the war. Here are ways to help your kids find a sense of peace:

Regulate the information. Limit the amount of media coverage your children see or hear. I suggest that children eight and under have a maximum of ten minutes of supervised exposure to war coverage. (Children four and under really don't need any exposure to the war unless they begin to ask you questions about what's happening.) Keep in mind that images of war on television, in magazines, or on the Internet are much more intense than newspaper or radio reports. Preteens and teens need to process what they are picking up in school and in the media. Make sure you are available for conversations about political, spiritual, and social issues. Encourage your child's youth leader to offer times for the teens to have open, honest conversations about the war.

Provide perspective. If your children seem especially anxious about the war, check your own attitude to make sure you're not passing your stress on to them. Try not to let the war take over your family conversations and don't stir up unnecessary worry. Unless their safety becomes an issue, make sure your children stay involved in their regular activities-sports, hanging out with friends, relaxing family time. Demonstrate your confidence in God's sovereignty by keeping life as normal as possible.

Pray. Praying for the people impacted by the war is wonderful way to show your children that our faith really does make a difference in the way we deal with times of crisis.

• Pray for our national leaders, our soldiers, and all the military families. (Read 1 Timothy 2:1-2).
• Pray for peace to come quickly.
• Pray for protection from terrorism at home.
• Pray for the Iraqi families: for protection, comfort, food, and shelter.
• Pray that the hearts of the Iraqi leaders might turn to the God of peace.
• Pray for God to show your family how to be people of peace. (Matt. 9:50, 1 Peter 3:8-12)
• You can also use Scripture as a guide for your prayers. Have a parent read one of the following passages about God's peace and comfort: Psalm 27:1-3; 46:1-3; Psalm 121:7; Romans 8:35-39; or another family favorite. Meditate of the passage in silence for a minute or so, then say the passage together as a family. End with a prayer.

Answer only the questions they ask. It's tempting to go into great detail about what's happening in this war. But children can be easily overwhelmed and frightened by too much information. Follow your child's lead when she wonders why that man on TV is holding a gun or why her friend Molly's dad had to go to the war. Answer her question as simply as you can. If she wants more information, she'll let you know.

next page... |  1 of 2

share this page

	We'd really like to know what you think about this article!
	Is this the kind of article you'd like to see more of? Is there a topic you'd like us to cover? Please send your response to

				Try 3 Issues of Christianity Today Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.

FREE MomSense Newsletter Subscribe to the MomSense Newsletter    RSS Feed   RSS Help