How To Talk To Your Kids About This Holiday Season's Big Changes
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Kids have had a lot of changes to deal with this year, and now the holiday plans for many families are also changing.
Dr. Abigail Gewirtz is a professor at the University of Minnesota and an author of the book, "When the World Feels Like a Scary Place." She says it's crucial to first check our own feelings about changing holiday plans before talking to our kids, as our own stress can boil over onto them.
Next, she says do three things: validate their feelings, discuss their fears about what's going on, and then come up with a plan together for what the holidays will look like. Let them know the holidays aren't being cancelled.
"The most important way to end the conversation is on a hopeful and positive note," Gewirtz said. "We can't have Thanksgiving with grandma and grandpa, but let's think about what we can do. So we're going to sit down, do it as a family, brainstorm what we want to do over Thanksgiving."
She says more children are dealing with depression and anxiety. If you notice your child is suddenly behaving differently or not able to do parts of their normal routine, that could be a sign to seek professional help.
