Talking to Kids About the Hard Stuff

Whether you’re a parent, an educator, a coach, a mentor, or simply a person of influence in a child’s life...talking about the hard stuff never gets easier!

Sixteen years ago this month…

I lost a student to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He was in 2nd grade. Breaking the news to his classmates and their parents remain the most difficult conversations I've had to date.

We cried; we reminisced; we celebrated the beautiful life he led in his short time on this earth. We concluded by sharing our dreams of what he could be doing now–somewhere else in the universe–with a healthy body.

I often replay those interactions in my mind, wishing I could have done more in that moment or said just the right thing. But I am confident that all of us–kids and adults alike–walked out of those classroom doors stronger for having talked through it TOGETHER. And I think that Marlon (or MJ, as everyone knew him) would have been proud of us for sharing in our grief. May he rest in love forever…

The 24-25 academic year has hardly begun, yet it already feels heavy: from the observance of World Suicide Prevention Day on 9/10, to our National Day of Remembrance on 9/11 , and (most notably on my heart today) the recent tragedy at Apalachee High School in Georgia.

We may not have all of the answers; heck, we may never have all of the answers. But talking to our kids about the hard stuff–even when we are still processing it ourselves–is far better than not addressing it at all. If this resonates with you, I’ve compiled a simple, printable checklist ! Link in the bio!

Let it be THE resource you need to start the dialogue today: in the school hallways, at the dinner table, during the car ride, or whenever the opportunity arises. You’ve got this, friends!.