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3 Tips for Protecting Young Children From Economic Woes COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ — As each day seems to bring more worrisome economic news, anxiety about the state of the financial world is finding its way into American kitchens, and affecting all members of our families – including young children. “One thing we know about kids is that they pick up on parental feelings,” says Christine Clark, Editor in Chief of Highlights magazine. “Kids may sense that something is going on even if they are too young to understand exactly what.” Highlights magazine receives 60,000 pieces of mail from kids each year, from drawings to poems to letters asking for advice. Highlights editors read and respond to each letter, and have for more than 60 years, including those from kids worried about money, their home life and other anxieties. They suggest the following tips for helping children through this uneasy time: — Parents need to try to manage their own anxiety so they don’t convey it to the kids. As a parent, be aware that your fears may cause you to be irritable or distracted. Do what you can to allay your own anxiety. Everyone has different approaches, but whether it’s meditating, talking to friends, having a cup of calming tea or getting as much information as possible, try not to let your anxiety interfere with your being a nurturing parent. — If your kids initiate questions about the economy, be reassuring. Keep things in perspective. There have been ups and downs in the economy over the years, and people get through them. Children will pick up on your emotional state, and if you let them know that no matter what they will be loved and taken care of, that’s what they will hear. It may help to share information (like the Highlights articles linked here) on how the stock market works and how banks work. — Emphasize family togetherness. Remember that for kids having their basic needs met is more important than the things money can buy. Love, shared activities, and communication are not based on money. Saving money and even making sacrifices can feel like an adventure to kids if they feel like everyone in the family is on board. —————— MilitaryConnection.com thanks you for your patronage. This web site is a portal of all things military, and we are quickly becoming the “go to” web site for all things military. We are constantly adding resources, content and features to benefit our audience. Our web site and all of the resources are free to users, and there is something for everyone. Additionally, we feature finance articles like this to keep you informed. If you belong to a group or organization, we will post your press releases, special events, newsletters, professional conferences and seminars, reunions, job fairs, and videos to help spread the word. One of the areas of our focus is connecting candidates from the military community with outstanding government and civilian employers. We know that candidates from the military community across the board have a work ethic second to none. They make highly valued employees. MilitaryConnection.com has a multitude of employment resources including a Directory of over 30,000 employers, Job Tips, Columns, our new and improved Job Board, Virtual Job Fair and much more. We understand the importance of education. Please check out our new Education section, featuring the most up to date information on the new GI Bill, Education Articles, Education Benefits, and the Scholarship Directory featuring thousands of scholarships. When the next tour is back home, it’s on MilitaryConnection.com. |
