A Christian How to Talk to Your Kids About a Crisis

Knowing how to talk to your kids about a crisis is hard. I don’t want to scare her unnecessarily, but I do want to equip her with truth.

And that is the best thing we can offer our kids as Christians, the truth.

Because while the world panics, we have reason to hope and trust in a good God who loves us.

Romans 5:5 ESV And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Why you have to talk to your kids about a crisis –

It’s really tempting not to.

However, the world is going to give them answers. Whether from watching television, seeing something on the internet, or hearing the neighbors talking, we cannot keep our children in the dark about the darkness in this world.

And I want my child to get her answers from me.

First, the HOW to talk to your kids about a crisis.

Calmly.

The strongest statement we can make is to live in God’s truths ourselves.

The last few years my life has been one surgery and emergency after another. While I’ve had a lot of difficult moments, for the most part, God’s grace has enabled me to live with much joy and peace.

And my daughter has seen me living in real faith, even when I still can’t see what God is doing.

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV For we walk by faith, not by sight.

What makes God the most real for our kids is when we live like He is.

And when I faced this thing all over again last fall, I was so sad and frustrated. But my sweet girl held my hand and said, “God has a plan to use this for good, just like Joseph.” And in an instant I got a glimpse of God using my struggles to prepare her for the road she will walk.

And the story of Joseph is a good one to hold onto.

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. But God knew that through Joseph, He would save all of His chosen people.

Because Joseph was faithful to God, trusting Him through slavery, false accusations, prison, and famine, Joseph saved the people through whom God chose to reveal Himself and the Messiah.

God’s power and glory are all the more evident in the darkest times in this world.

What Satan means for evil, God will use for good somehow, every time, even when we cannot see how.

So, before answering our children’s questions and calming their fears, it’s important to pray for the self-control to trust in God.

It’s okay not to know quite what to say. This crisis is unprecedented in our lifetime. We’re all going through this together.

It’s okay to be real about being sad and even a little scared. But that is when we need to double down on prayer. We can pray to have the right words for our children and for the situation.

Also, praying with your children in hard things is a great example of going to the Father for peace and comfort in trying times.

And we can teach them that prayer is our first response, a constant attitude.

Secondly, keep it simple.

Our answers should be consistent with our children’s intellectual and emotional development. Kids generally aren’t looking for a CDC report. They are looking to reclaim a sense of security.

So, I try to only answer her actual questions. I don’t want to inadvertently give her more reasons to worry because I offered too much information or made it too complicated.

But mostly I try to rest on – we know how this story ends.

No matter what happens God is still in control. We can trust in Him.

God controls it all. And He loves us.

Matthew 6:26 ESV Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

But trusting God doesn’t mean everything in this life will be easy. God doesn’t always protect our loved ones. He doesn’t always miraculously heal.

And we need to be honest with our kids.

John 16:33 ESV  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In this world we will have trouble, but our lives don’t end in this world.

Eternal life with Christ awaits.

We can walk by faith here, in this crisis, because we know that God is using everything for the ultimate good.

His ultimate plan is to bring as many people to salvation as possible.

How can we help Him do that in this crisis?

Turn the focus from our fears to our faith.

Taking the focus off ourselves is a Godly response to fear and uncertainty.

When I think about myself, I become fearful and anxious. When I think about how I can glorify God, I am joyful and bold.

Give the kids a mission!

People often seek His face the most in dark times. And people are scared and lost without God.

We need to do what we can to show them where to find Him.

Especially in this moment in which our church buildings are closed, we need to BE the Church, in our neighborhoods, at the store, online.

Brainstorm ways your family can be the hands and feet of Christ in this crisis: do grocery shopping for an at-risk neighbor, take a meal to a widow, do sidewalk art for those walking the neighborhood.

Lastly, delve into God’s word for comfort…