Dr. Briscoe-Smith recognizes the immense challenge of families having to deal with both the viral pandemic and the pandemic of racialized violence. But how and when is the best time to talk to your child about these issues? What it comes down to, she says, is for children to be able to “release tension, fear, and anger from their bodies.”
Licensed counselor Shuntai Hill agrees. “Children repress. If you’re not able to talk to your child or answer any questions, they’re going to get it from another source. Or they’re going to learn not to talk about it, and it’ll come out in behavioral issues later,” she said in an interview with ABC.
Dr. Victor M. Fornari, vice-chair of child adolescent psychology at Northwell Health, says that talking to children is even more important in times of uncertainty, as is helping them connect with others in positive ways.
According to Briscoe-Smith, the act of “radical listening” is about giving children the space to voice their concerns, express their stress—which could manifest itself in moodiness or lack of sleep—but also realize this as an opportunity to start building some skills. This is particularly important for children of color, who come from targeted groups and must relive trauma with images of “viral black death.”
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