When the World Feels Heavy: Helping Kids (and Ourselves) Cope
Does anyone else feel like January lasted forever? But the days are getting longer and the light seems to have the tiniest hint of spring. I’ve been hearing from many people about how difficult it’s been to process recent events. Young people are feeling the weight of the world in new and profound ways, and as adults, we often struggle with how to help them make sense of it.
When the World Feels Heavy
In challenging times, kids look to the adults in their lives for guidance—not just in words, but in how we model coping, resilience, and hope. I know I have been turning to my meditation teachers and colleagues for reminders because I am in it with you. Here are a few things to keep in mind when helping yourself and the people around you process difficult news:
✅ Validate feelings
That sounds really scary/sad/frustrating. I hear you. You don’t need to have all the answers—just being present and listening is powerful. Validation helps regulate the nervous system. When children feel heard rather than dismissed or rushed toward reassurance, their anxiety often softens naturally.
✅ Limit doom-scrolling
Overexposure to upsetting news can create a sense of helplessness. Encourage kids (and yourself) to take breaks, engage in creative activities, or get outside. (I swear I would like to be able to re-program people’s TikTok or other social media algorithms to baby animals and dance challenges)
Consider setting shared family media boundaries. Co-regulating screen habits is often more effective than policing them.
✅ Offer age-appropriate context
Younger kids need simple, reassuring explanations, while older kids may want to discuss more in-depth perspectives. Use trusted resources (see below) to guide these conversations. Clear, developmentally appropriate information reduces uncertainty and prevents kids from filling in gaps with imagination-driven fears.
✅ Focus on action and agency
Whether it’s writing a letter, volunteering, or engaging in self-care, small acts can help us feel empowered rather than overwhelmed. Anxiety thrives on helplessness. Even small, values-based actions restore a sense of influence and steadiness.
Good News & Helpful Resources
Anxiety wants us to focus on the threat of scary things happening and the news likes us to be scared so we will continue checking the news. I like to give the homework to spend at least as much time with Good News as the regular news, if not more. I dare you to go look at the home page and see if something makes you smile.
It reminds me of the Mr. Rogers quote to “Look for the helpers.” In times of crisis, there are always people stepping up—first responders, volunteers, teachers, neighbors, even strangers showing acts of kindness. Focusing on the helpers shifts the perspective from fear and helplessness to hope and action.
If you're looking for guidance on talking to children about difficult topics, here are a couple of excellent resources:
📌 A Belated but Important Resource on Wildfires – Trinka and Sam: The Big Fire is a story to help children process natural disasters.
📌 Resource for Recent Plane Crash Tragedy - from our colleague Kelsey Mora a fabulous child life specialist. You can download it here.
📌 Go-To Resource for Tough Topics – The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides research-backed ways to talk to kids about challenging events: NCTSN.org. When something bad happens this is where I turn for resources.
Final Thought
Look for the helpers. And when you can, be a helper in small ways—whether that’s offering kindness, checking in on a friend, or simply taking care of yourself. Hope is found in connection, in community, and in remembering that none of us are in this alone.
💙
What We're Listening to:
When the worries of the world feel like too much—especially at bedtime—I’ve been turning to Sleeptube for calming sounds and guided relaxation: Sleeptube – Deep Sleep Music
What We're Watching:
This episode offers an insightful look at:
• How to distinguish anger from overwhelm
• How transforming the energy of anger can be the fire for positive change.
• Why doom scrolling is harmful and how to break the habit.
• The role of art in processing difficulty and finding hope.
• Moral injury and how to heal through love and compassion.
What We're Reading:
A gently told and tenderly illustrated story for children who have witnessed any kind of violent or traumatic episode, including physical abuse, school or gang violence, accidents, homicide, suicide, and natural disasters such as floods or fire.