Dr. Jane Halsall, a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and ADHD Assessor at The Cornerstone Clinic Dubai, shares how parents across the UAE can foster calm, resilience, and emotional security when the world feels unstable.
When conflict or global tension dominates the news cycle, children notice. Even if conversations happen behind closed doors, children are attuned to emotional shifts in the adults around them, so we have to be mindful of how we are processing our emotions and our own behaviours. Supporting them begins not with perfect answers but with emotional steadiness.
When children become aware of conflict, what are the most common emotional and behavioural responses parents should look out for?
Emotional responses can be anxiety, fear as they may worry about their safety or the stability of their environment. Responses can vary by age and temperament. Younger children may become clingy, tearful. School-aged children may show irritability, concentration difficulties or increased reassurance-seeking. Teenagers may appear withdrawn, angry, or preoccupied with news and social media. There is often confusion and even sadness. In terms of behavioural responses, inability to sleep, they may isolate more and possibly show more signs of aggression and frustration. These behaviours are not “misbehaviour” they are stress responses. Children often express anxiety through behaviour before they can articulate it in words.
How does uncertainty and perceived threat impact the nervous system in both adults and children?
Uncertainty activates the body’s threat system. Both adults and children move into a fight, flight, or freeze response when they perceive danger even if that danger is distant, so the key is to remain calm and ground yourself in the moment.
Their nervous systems are still developing and rely heavily on co-regulation with caregivers. When stress is chronic, their bodies can remain in a heightened state of alert.
Signs to look for:
In children, prolonged stress may show up as:
- Sleep disruption or nightmares
- Headaches or stomach aches
- Heightened startle response
- Irritability or aggression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Emotional meltdowns over small triggers
How much information should parents share? How can they talk to their children about conflict or war in an age-appropriate way without overwhelming them?
Children need honesty but filtered honesty in an age-appropriate way. For younger children, simple and contained explanations work best. An example would be, “There are some problems happening in another country. The grown-ups are working hard to keep people safe.” Avoid graphic details or continuous news exposure.
For older children and teenagers, invite conversation: “What have you heard? What are you thinking about it?” Correct misinformation gently. Keep explanations factual, calm, and reassuring without minimising their feelings. The goal is to inform without overwhelming.
How to create safety and predictability at home when the external world feels unpredictable? Why is routine important for the nervous system?
When the external world feels unpredictable, the home environment becomes even more important. Make sure you communicate well and have consistency. Routine regulates the nervous system because predictability signals safety. Consistent bedtimes, shared meals, school runs, and small daily rituals (a bedtime story, a Sunday pancake breakfast) provide psychological anchors.
Children don’t need a perfect world. They need a predictable micro-world.
Simple statements like: “In this house, we are safe,” and “Mummy and Daddy are here to look after you,” provide containment that their nervous system can rely on.
What practical tips can parents use to manage their own stress?
If a parent panics or catastrophises aloud, a child’s anxiety will escalate. They mirror what we do. This does not mean parents must suppress their emotions. It means managing them consciously.
Practical techniques for parents include limiting personal news consumption, avoid doom-scrolling in front of children, practice slow breathing (in for 4, out for 6), step outside for fresh air before responding to a child’s fears, verbalise calm thinking: “I feel worried, but I know we are safe,” and modelling grounded coping teaches children how to manage stress.
What language can parents use to comfort without unrealistic promises?
Children may ask: “Will we be safe?” or “Will a war come here?” Avoid absolute guarantees like “Nothing bad will ever happen.” Instead, offer realistic reassurance: “Right now, we are safe.” “There are lots of people working to keep everyone safe.” “If anything changes, the adults will handle it.” This balances honesty with containment and builds trust.
What’s the best way to support teenagers in the age of social media without dismissing their fears?
Teenagers are often exposed to raw, unfiltered content online. Graphic footage and alarmist commentary can amplify anxiety. Instead of dismissing their concerns (“Don’t worry about it”), invite dialogue: “How is seeing that affecting you?”
Encourage media literacy. Discuss how algorithms amplify extreme content. Suggest intentional breaks from news feeds. Help them balance awareness with boundaries. Most importantly, validate their emotional responses while gently grounding them in present day safety.
How can parents help ground hypervigilant or panicked children?
For children prone to panic or hypervigilance, grounding techniques help bring the nervous system back to the present moment.
Try:
- 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you
- smell, 1 you taste
- Box breathing: Inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4
- Cold water on wrists to reset physiological arousal
- Movement: jumping jacks, wall pushes, or stretching
- Co-regulation: Sit close, speak slowly, lower your tone
