Highlights Magazine's 5 Tips For Talking With Kids About Tornado Disasters

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Editors at the children's magazine Highlights respond to more than 60,000 letters from children each year. Children often write to express their concern about disasters in the news, including the recent tornadoes that have devastated areas in the South, New England and the Midwest.  The magazine's editors have developed tips to help parents and teachers who are fielding similar concerns.

"Our readers write to us to help them understand these incidents or to share their grief," says Highlights Editor-in-Chief Christine French Cully. "Although no two children may internalize a tragic event in the same way, we have found that certain feelings are universal, such as the need for stability and calm reassurance."

Listen. Listening is probably the most important thing we can do when children are feeling anxious or sad. Giving them time to express their feelings, and really listening to what they have to say, can be very comforting for children. It also gives us the best clues about how to respond.

Share your own feelings. It is often reassuring for children to know that what they are feeling is normal. Let kids know if you are also feeling sad or worried, and how you deal with those feelings.

Encourage kids to express their feelings creatively. One way to help kids express their feelings is through art, poetry or stories. This may be especially useful for kids who are less verbal. Encourage them to share their creative work with others. It is common for Highlights to receive art and poetry submissions after major news events.

Make plans. Kids may worry about what would happen if they faced disruptive events close to home, especially in the case of natural disasters. With your kids, make an emergency plan for your family.

Get additional help when needed. Children have a great capacity for empathy. This is a wonderful thing, but it also deserves our care. Watch for signs that your child is having difficulty moving past a tragedy. Younger children are especially vulnerable to misinterpreting details about the location and duration of a tragic event. They may falsely believe that the event has occurred multiple times or that it is happening in their neighborhood.

For full text of the editors' tips, please visit Highlights.com

About Highlights for Children, Inc. (www.Highlights.com)

Devoted to "Fun with a Purpose®," Highlights for Children, Inc. has helped children become their best selves for generations. Its flagship publication, Highlights magazine, the most recognizable and widely-read children's magazine in the nation, has printed more than a billion copies. Other Highlights offerings include a version for younger children, Highlights High Five, Highlights for Children Book Clubs and mobile applications like My First Hidden Pictures.

SOURCE Highlights for Children, Inc.