SUPPORTING KIDS THROUGH ICE-RELATED STRESS
By: The Collaborators at Grove
Like you, all of us here at Grove are concerned about immigration enforcement. This is a moment when many, particularly immigrant families, are feeling heightened fear, uncertainty, and vulnerability.
For many families, one of the important questions is how to talk with kids about what is going on. Children are constantly listening and picking up on the stress and emotional cues from the adults around them. It's important to have age-appropriate, honest conversations that help them stay informed, engaged, and prepared.
Resources for you
We gathered a set of resources to help you talk with children about ICE, safety, threat experiences, and feelings that may arise. We hope that it can provide a tangible support or two.
Here are some general tips for talking to kids, compiled by the social work team at Children's Minnesota.
Books and stories are a helpful way to kids to absorb new information. Check out this list of books to help kids learn about issues around immigration.
For preschool-aged kids, Sesame Street offers some videos and tips for parents about tough topics.
To work through feelings of scary events, we recommend two books: 1) Once I Was Very, Very Scared, by Chandra Ghosh Ippen. Support your local bookseller by purchasing here, or explore a free PDF or read-aloud and 2) Something Bad Happened by Dawn Huebner.
If your family is being targeted, you can visit the Immigrant Legal Resource Center website. In particular, they have a page of community resources, including this guide for family preparedness.
You know your child best. Take what feels useful, adapt it to fit your family's values, and move at a pace that feels right.
We also suggest taking extra care of your mental health at this time. It's absolutely true that the wellbeing of a parent is impactful for the wellbeing of their kids. Please reach out for support if you (or your children) could benefit from extra care at this time.
This blog is one of the offerings of Grove Emotional Health Collaborative. We offer a range of mental health care services. Explore Our Providers or reach out to get started today.