Tomorrow, the streets will be agitated, the schools sometimes closed, the disturbed transport … If the adults juggle the info and the unexpected, the children, them, observe and feel. “”Not necessarily because they are told something, but because the ambient climate also crosses them “explains psychologist Amélie Boukhobza.
So how do you talk to it without triggering unnecessary anxiety? The golden rule: evoke concrete facts, with simplicity.
Explain too much
A child does not need to understand everything to feel reassured. “”We can say for example: ‘Tomorrow, some adults go on strike, it is a way for them to say that they do not agree with certain decisions. Suddenly, the school may be closed or that there are fewer masters or mistresses’ “.
No need to detail the political or social reasons for the strike. The main thing is to anticipate with the child what will happen concretely: will he go to school, with a loved one, or will he stay at home? Who will be with him? These clear landmarks help him to relax.
Reassure with stable benchmarks
Not all children are hypersensitive to news. If they do not ask questions, it is not necessary to force the subject. On the other hand, if concerns arise, it is better to answer it simply.
TV newspapers are to be avoided. “”Looking images, anxiety -provoking titles, interviews cut to editing … All of this goes beyond their ability to sort and understand. And above all, it fuels a blurred concern, not always verbalizable. “ Better explanations with words adapted to their age.
Which really soothes them
A child may fear that the strike will last, that he will no longer return to school, that he does not see his mistress again. Again, the role of adults is to recall that it is temporary. “”It’s normal to be a little lost when things change, but the school will reopen. It’s just a parenthesis. “
And if the strike sets up, the benchmarks must remain present, even floating: explain what is planned, listen to concerns, maintain the routine. Because what reassures a child is not that the situation is minimized, but the stability of his parents. “”Even if there is noise around, you stay calm. Stable. Here. And that is, basically, who really secures them. “