Pamela Cantor, M.D.: 7 Tips for Talking to Children about Ukraine

Our topic today is ripped from the headlines: the war in Ukraine.  

The horrifying images of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, on civilians, are everywhere. We see the stories. We hear the pleas for help, for an end to the violence. And so do our children. They internalize what they hear and see. If they feel concerned or worried, they might ask us about it. Of course, they also might not.

So how should adults – parents, caregivers, teachers – talk with children about what’s happening in Ukraine? Reassure them? What should we say? And is there anything else we can do?

Dr. Pamela Cantor can offer guidance. She practiced child and adolescent psychiatry for nearly two decades, specializing in trauma. She is also the founder and senior science advisor of Turnaround for Children, and the author of two books on human potential, the science of learning and development, and educational equity. And on top of all that, I recently learned that she worked in Eastern Europe in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union including with Ukrainians and with Russians  who were healthcare professionals.

For more information, go to www.turnaroundusa.org/podcast.