Worry Warts and Nervous Nellies

Its a big world and can be overwhelming for all of us; especially for children.  We, as adults,  can watch a tragedy or crisis and be able to process it most of the time.  The exception for me, was the terrorist attack on 9/11.  I just could not wrap my head around that whole scene!  What in the world?!

Over the past few months, there has  been crisis after crisis in our world and in our country.  It has been incredible how one disaster led into another and another and another.  Hurricanes, tornados, another hurricane and another and another, forest fires, earthquakes, and now the fires in California!  It can be frightening, stressful, and unbelievable to us, but just think what all of this does to our kids when they see hours of reporting and images.  They can’t process like we can, and they can live in a world of chaos without even being there!

Another level of worry is for kids whose families are being shattered through divorce or the death of a parent.  They don’t know what is going on;  they just know that everyone around them is upset, yelling, crying and they don’t know where they fit in anymore.  I ministered to many families over 12 years where kids were reeling over their parents’ decisions to divorce.  I held them while they cried and tried to help them heal and get a better perspective through leading Divorce Care For Kids (dc4k.org) and The Big D…Divorce Thru the Eyes of a Teen” (sunsetpointministries.com).

Parents, try to keep the news off when the kids are around; especially in this political storm.  It is important to teach our kids that God sees all and is control, but the images are what stick in kids’ minds.

Keep them off your divorce battlefield and let them have some level of innocence and happiness, even in the worst of times  When kids are worried or scared, they feel insecure and unsafe.  Their childhood and their personal development is in your hands, so protect them as much as you can without stifling them.

Our guest this Tuesday, is Dr. Michele Bengtson, a neuropsychologist from Texas who will be discussing “Our World Today: Helping Our Kids With Anxiety.”  She will discuss how to know when your kids are worrying or anxious and how to help them.  Tune into Chained No More Talk Radio at 2pm ET at www.toginet.com. 

You can also download the podcast beginning later that day, at www.toginet.com/shows/chainednomore.

Parents, those precious children are looking to you for their security, example, and to show them how much you love them by how you protect them and guide them to their future.  In these perilous times,  it is scary out there, and they  need you!