Tools for Family Conversations
We know it can be hard to know what to say to your children about current events when they involve bias, bigotry, and/or violence. We have collected the resources on how to have skillful and helpful conversations from a broad range of organizations to help families guide these talks at home. We update these resources frequently, so please check back often.
GENERAL RESOURCES ON TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT DIFFICULT TOPICS
- ADL: "Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events " (These guides for discussing specific current events with children include a topic summary, questions to start the conversation and dig deeper, ideas for taking action, and additional resources. Each guide also includes a recommended age range.)
- Kurtz Psychology: "How to Talk to Kids about What They See on the News"
- ADL: "Empowering Young People in the Aftermath of Hate"
- Commonsense Media: "How to Talk to Kids about Violence, Crime, and War"
ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES
- Anti-Defamation League: George Floyd, Racism, and Law Enforcement
- CNN: "How to Talk to Your Children About Protests and Racism"
- National Equity Project: "Black Lives Matter Instructional Library" (picture books read aloud)
- Penn Graduate School of Education: "Talking to Children after Racial Incidents"
- Child Mind Institute: Talking to Children about Racism and Violence
- Islamphobia Materials
- Talking to Children About Anti-Gay Speech
- Ukraine Conflict Resources
- Police Reform Resources
- Anti-Asian Bias Resources
- Holocaust Materials
- Gun Violence Resources