Stressful Life Events
Number of unique resources found: 61
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Family and Youth Resiliency and Policy 
Author: Perkins, Daniel (18 more by this author)
Description: This Web page consists of links to resources related to family policy and resiliency. Topics include family strengths, community youth development, resiliency, policy, youth sports, dealing with tragedy, bullying, and literacy. There is also a link to the newsletter "Resiliency and Thriving in Families and Youth."
– General Information –
After the Storm: The Psychological Effects of a Hurricane
Author: La Greca, Annette (1 more by this author)
Description: This is a manual for parents and educators to help children cope with the psychological impact of a major hurricane. It is geared more to children ages 6-12 and their parents but could be adapted to other ages.
Author: Pathak, Sanjeev ; Bruce Perry, M.D.
Description: This article provides information about anxiety disorders in children. The definition, typical symptoms, resulting difficulties is discussed. Information on specific anxiety disorders is also provided.
Author: Rogers, Fred (20 more by this author)
Description: This article is excerpted from “The Mister Rogers Parenting Book” the last book Fred Rogers worked on before his death in 2003. In this book he wanted to support parents in their most important work of parenting and to help them better understand their young children.
The information focuses on anxiety that may be experienced by children when they go to bed.
Better Kid Care: Information About Emergency Preparedness
Description: This website offers emergency preparedness information and planning worksheets for child care centers and home providers. This curriculum includes emergency evacuation site agreements and sample letters for parents.
Author: Perry, Bruce (14 more by this author)
Description: Studies of childhood abuse and neglect have important lessons for considerations of nature and nurture. The neural systems responsible for mediating our cognitive, emotional, social and physiological functioning develop in childhood and, therefore, childhood experiences play a major role in shaping the functional capacity of these systems. When the necessary experiences are not provided at the optimal times, these neural systems do not develop in optimal ways.
Description: This article reveals that childhood trauma has profound impact on the emotional, behavioral, cognitive, social and physical functioning of children. Clinical implications of a new neurodevelopmental conceptualization of childhood trauma are discussed.
Author: Perry, Bruce (14 more by this author)
Description: This article by Dr. Bruce Perry, discusses some of the key issues related to the child's complex set of reactions that often follow loss; either a death, or divorce, moving, etc. The focus of the article is on how teachers can identify difficulties related to the loss as well as suggestions on how to provide support to the child.
Description: This research brief for the journal Child Development summarizes 16 papers on Children and Disaster. The papers focus on a range of different disaster contexts and groups of children. Together, they illustrate that children’s responses to disaster vary by dose and nature of exposure, child and family characteristics, and the recovery context. It includes implications for policy and practice.
Children and Disaster: Part 1 Ages and Stages/Los niños y los desastres: Parte 1 Edades y etapas
Description: This 4-page publication outlines major types of disasters and how children of different ages may react when one occurs. Also available in Spanish.
Description: This 4-page publication outlines typical reactions children of various age groups experience when disasters occur and how parents and caregivers can help them cope successfully. Also available in Spanish.
Description: Moving is a very stressful time for families and is often most distressing to children. This fact sheet describes why moving is a source of stress and offers some tips on how to make moving easier for children. This publication is also available in Spanish as "Los NiÃos y las Mudanzas."
Children and Grief (Los Ninos y la Pena por la Muerte de un ser Querido)
Description: The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has shared this fact sheet on children and how they experience grief so that parents and professionals are able to help a child that is coping with death. Children experience the loss of a loved one in a very different way than adults, with their reactions depending on their age and their developmental level. Suggestions for when to seek additional supports is included. Also available in Spanish, Los Ninos y la Pena por la Muerte de un ser Querido No. 8 at http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/informacion_para_la_familia/los_ninos_y_la_pena_por_la_muerte_de_un_ser_querido_no_8.
Author: Perry, Bruce (14 more by this author)
Description: This article provides information to teachers how to serve as a crucial emotional bridge for a child at times of loss. Portions of the information are also helpful to parents and other people working with children who are suffering from a loss.
Author: Durosimni, Brenda (1 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet describes stress in children and how you can support them. It defines stress, describes causes of stress, signs of stress, and provides strategies to use to reduce the stress children feel.
Children and Stress: Caring Strategies to Guide Children
Author: Ruffin, Novella (5 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet describes stress in children. It defines stress, describes causes of stress, signs of stress, and provides strategies to use to reduce stress.
Children as Victims of Hurricane Katrina
Author: Myers-Walls, Judith (3 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet uses the research on children affected by political violence as a guide to how children may be affected by Hurricane Katrina and to provide recommendations to support children and families.
Children, Stress, and Natural Disasters
Description: This website offers a set of resources for teachers and other child-care or youth workers. These resources include a guide for teachers and activities that teachers can use in their classrooms, lists of curriculum guides on disaster-related topics, a bibliography of children's literature on floods and natural disasters, and a list of resource material that are available from the American Red Cross. The University of Illinois also offers a comprehensive list of disaster fact sheets http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/disaster/guide/g_facts.html
Death and Loss: Helping Children Manage Their Grief
Author: Perry, Bruce (14 more by this author)
Description: This article by Dr. Bruce Perry, discusses some of the key issues related to the child's complex set of reactions that often follow a loss such as a death. The focus of the article is on how teachers can identify difficulties related to the loss as well as suggestions on how to provide support to the child.
Includes Tips for Teaching: Talking About Loss With Children.
Effects of Divorce on Children
Author: Tralle, Minnell (5 more by this author)
Description: The University of Minnesota Extension Services has provided this article that describes some of the effects children may feel from a divorce. Children's feelings and behaviors may be the result of a recent divorce and may need to be addressed by parents.
Everyday Fears Trump Worries about Terrorism
Author: Smith, Deborah
Description: The American Psychological Association has provided this article to discuss the recent surprising discovery that was made when six to eleven year olds were asked about their fears and worries concerning the aftermath of September 11th, 2001. The study showed that the average six to eleven year old was more worried, and had more anxiety over their daily stresses and problems than they worried about war or terrorism.
Helping Children After a Disaster (Ayudando a los Niños Después de una Catástrofe)
Description: The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has provided this piece for parents who are helping a child cope after a disaster. Adults are not the only people that experience the stressful side effects that occur after a disaster, such as an earthquake, a death of a loved one, or living through a terrorist act. Children need special care and attention following these difficult times. Also available in Spanish, "Ayudando a los Niños Después de una Catástrofe" at http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/informacion_para_la_familia/ayudando_a_los_ninos_despues_de_una_catastrofe_no_36.
Helping Children Cope with Divorce
Author: Tralle, Minnell (5 more by this author)
Description: The University of Minnesota's Extension Services has provided this piece for parents to help guide them how to cope with the stressors their children may feel as a consequence of their divorce. Divorce is a very difficult transition for children to deal with, and this article provides some ways to make the process a little easier for the parent and child.
Helping Children Deal With Tragic Events In Unsettling Times: Tips for Parents and Teachers
Description: A tip sheet for parents and teachers listing ways to help children deal with the feelings that come with tragic events.
Helping Children Talk About Their Scary Feelings: Concerns about War and Violence
Description: This article discusses the importance of talking to children about their fears. Includes videotapes by Fred Rogers.
Holiday Stress Busters for Big and Little People, Backpack Buddies Series
Author: Jelley, Kathy (2 more by this author)
Description: Ohio State University Extension Services has shared this newsletter of suggested activities that can be implemented during the holiday season to cut back on the amount of stress when family is visiting. One of the best ways to eliminate excess stress is to stick to your regular routine, such as mealtimes and bedtimes, as much as possible.
Author: Rogers, Fred (20 more by this author)
Description: This article is excerpted from “The Mister Rogers Parenting Book” the last book Fred Rogers worked on before his death in 2003. In this book he wanted to support parents in their most important work of parenting and to help them better understand their young children.
The information focuses on holidays and birthdays for children. It includes information on too much of a good thing, creating family traditions, coping with disappointments, children's reactions, celebrating the small things, and helpful hints.
Author: Rogers, Fred (20 more by this author)
Description: This website provides links to articles relating to parenting young children. The articles are excerpted from “The Mister Rogers Parenting Book”, the last book Fred Rogers worked on before his death in 2003. In that book he wanted to support parents in their most important work of parenting and to help them better understand their young children.
Topics covered include bedtime, adjusting to child care, adoption, brothers and sisters, going to the dentist, dealing with death, choosing playthings, going to the doctor, divorce and separation, disabilities, the new baby, moving, everyday rules and limits, starting kindergarten, tragic events in the news, fears, using the toilet, holidays and birthdays, learning readiness, making friends, and pets.
Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children’s Learning and Development
Description: Science shows that early exposure to circumstances that produce persistent fear and chronic anxiety can have lifelong consequences by disrupting the developing architecture of the brain. Unfortunately, many young children are exposed to such circumstances. While some of these experiences are one-time events and others may reoccur or persist over time, all of them have the potential to affect how children learn, solve problems, and relate to others. This report from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child summarizes in clear language why, while some of these experiences are one-time events and others may reoccur or persist over time, all of them have the potential to affect how children learn, solve problems, and relate to others.
Provider-Parent Partnership: Divorce
Author: Myers-Walls, Judith (6 more by this author); Nithyakala Karuppaswamy
Description: This publication describes how child care providers can help families and children experiencing a divorce. Includes links to other related topics such as; Children’s reactions to divorce – ages and stages
• Stages of adjustment to divorce
• The effect of divorce on children: What makes a difference
• Explaining divorce to children
• Providers talking with parents about divorce
• Visitation do's and don’ts
• Does the child need counseling?
Reaction of Children to a Disaster
Description: This newsbrief gives age specific reactions to disasters, giving parents and other adults a great list of what to look for in children's behavior after an emotional occurrence.
Ready to Remember: Jeremy's Journey of Hope and Healing
Description: A newly released electronic children’s book that tells the story of a young boy whose father has died tragically a year before. Designed for children who suffer from childhood traumatic grief (CTG), Ready to Remember depicts Jeremy’s journey—from distress and pain at his loss to the eventual start of healing. Ready to Remember includes a guide that both describes the signs and symptoms of CTG and tells caregivers how to help children in their lives who may be experiencing atypical grief following the traumatic death of a loved one.
Starting School (Comienzo de la Asistencia a la Escuela)
Description: This fact sheet discusses the transition to school and how parents can best help their child make this transition. It offers sugestions of what to do if your child has difficulties making the transition and books to read to your child about starting school.
Also Available in Spanish as "Comienzo de la Asistencia a la Escuela" at http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?section=Informacion+para+la+Familia&name=Comienzo+de+la+Asistencia+a+la+Escuela+No.+82. (3/02)
Strengthening the Early Childhood Care and Education Workforce Would Benefit Young Children
Author: Bridgman, Anne (1 more by this author)
Description: This social policy brief for the journal Child Development summarizes a longer report. It includes what the research says about strengthening the early childhood care and education workforce and how to improve its effectiveness, provides facts at a glance, and policy implications.
Supplemental Resource: Children in Disasters Guidance
Description: Homeland Security Grant Program awards may be used by states and local jurisdictions to ensure that the needs of children are met through disaster planning. This supplement provides guidance for grantees to incorporate children into their planning and purchase of equipment and supplies; provide training to a broad range of child-specific providers, agencies, and entities; and exercise capabilities relating to children, such as evacuation, sheltering and emergency medical care.
Taking the Violence out of School Shootings: A Guide for Parents, Teachers and Child Care Providers
Author: Pitzer, Ronald (7 more by this author); Stephan Carlson
Description: This newsbrief discusses how to help children cope with violence that may their lives. Suggestions on how to talk to children are provided for preschooler, school agers, and teenagers. Specific suggestions are also provided for teachers and caregivers on how to provide support.
Talking About Disabilities with Children
Author: Rogers, Fred (20 more by this author)
Description: This article is excerpted from “The Mister Rogers Parenting Book” the last book Fred Rogers worked on before his death in 2003. In this book he wanted to support parents in their most important work of parenting and to help them better understand their young children.
The information focuses on how to encourage children to see the similarities in all people and to feel comfortable with people who have disabilities.
Talking to Children When the Unexpected Happens
Author: Mader, Sharon (3 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet provides parents with suggestions on how to talk with their children during stressful times and help them deal with frightening situations or news events.
Talking To Kids About Mental Illnesses
Description: This publication explains to parents how to talk to their children about mental illness. This is also available in pdf.
Talking With Children About Terrorism
Author: Myers-Walls, Judith (3 more by this author)
Description: The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon captured the attention of the nation, and it should. Children, however have a hard time putting these emotionally charged events into perspective. They need the help of the adults around them. So what is a parent, teacher or other caring adult to do when terrorist violence fills the airwaves and the consciousness of America? This newsbrief provides some suggestions.
Talking With Children When The Talk Gets Tough
Author: Myers-Walls, Judith (6 more by this author)
Description: This article provides suggestions and strategies to communicate with children about truma in their lives.
Wars, shootings in schools, natural disasters, deaths at sporting events—as adults we hope that these and other tragic outcomes will never happen anywhere and de?nitely will not affect the children and youth we care about. We would like to protect those young minds from the pain and horror of dif?cult situations. We would like to ensure that they have happy, innocent, and carefree lives.
The Child's Loss: Death, Grief and Mourning
Author: Perry, Bruce (14 more by this author)
Description: This article by Dr. Bruce Perry, discusses some of the key issues related to the child's complex set of reactions that often follow traumatic death. While focused on traumatic death, this information may be helpful to families, caseworkers, teachers and other adults working and living with any grieving children.
This simple guide is intended to inform and provide general principles. It is not intended to be comprehensive or to exclude other observations or approaches to helping grieving children.
Description: The Sibling Support Project was developed to serve the interests of over six million brothers and sisters of people with special health, mental health, and developmental needs. Use this site to find a workshop in your area and to learn more about the project.
The Tragedy at Fort Hood: Helping Your Children Cope
Description: This web article provides information on how to help your children cope after a national violent tragedy. Specific reference to the Fort Hood shootings but the information can be used by parents for any violence related tragedies.
Tips for Talking to Children After a Disaster: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
Description: Children respond to trauma in many different ways. Some may have reactions very soon after the event; others may seem to be doing fine for weeks or months, and then begin to show worrisome behavior. Knowing the signs that are common at different ages can help parents and teachers to recognize problems and respond appropriately. This factsheet lists these signs and responses for parents and teachers.
When a Pet Dies (Cuando se Muere un Animal Domestico)
Description: This fact sheet describes how to help your child deal with the loss of a pet. This is often the first expereince children have with death and differs depending on the child's age. This publication is also available in Spanish as "Cuando se Muere un Animal Domestico" at http://aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/informacion_para_la_familia/cuando_se_muere_un_animal_domestico_pet_no_78.
Your Guide to Preparing for Emergencies
Description: This website is aimed at helping families prepare for an emergency. This handbook organizes many of the factsheets found on this website in a handbook for easy use.
– Programming Resource –
A Flood of Emotions: The Anniversary of a Traumatic Event
Author: Johannes, Elaine (8 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet discusses understanding and dealing with the anniversary of a traumatic event or disaster within a community. The author gives ideas for dealing proactively as a community with preparing for and healing through the anniversary date.
Author: Molgaard, Virginia (19 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet deals with the kinds of conflicts occur with the entrance of a stepmother into a family.
Divorce Matters: Coping with Stress and Change
Author: Oesterreich, Lesia (35 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet covers issues related to divorce, such as stress on the family members and how to cope with a sense of loss.
Focus on Kids: The Effects of Divorce on Children
Author: DeBord, Karen (61 more by this author)
Description: This article gives information about how children of differing ages understand divorce, how they may react and what behavior might be expected, and how parents can help children to cope.
Guard and Reserve Family Readiness Programs Toolkit
Description: This Web site has information for families with members in the Reserves or National Guard who have been placed on active duty. It includes checklists and information on topics such as dealing with separations, and reunions and homecomings.
Helping Children Understand Divorce
Author: Gable, Sara (5 more by this author); Kelly Cole
Description: This article discusses how to talk to your children about divorce in order to minimize the stress and confusion that children feel. It also talks about how children understand divorce and what parents can do at various ages.
Let Children Choose Stepparent Names
Author: Molgaard, Virginia (19 more by this author)
Description: This publication suggests that children should be the ones to decide whether to call the stepparent mom or dad, or by another name.
Author: Molgaard, Virginia (19 more by this author)
Description: This publication describes the difficulty of adding a new parent to a family when the children are used to their old rules/ways of doing things.
Strategies for Parents & Teachers to Assist Children Who Are Managing Stress
Author: DeBord, Karen (61 more by this author)
Description: Children are one of the most vulnerable populations. Times of disaster and trauma increase their vulnerability. This fact sheet presents tips on recognizing stress in children, particularly during crises or disasters. It includes suggestions for how to help children during times of stress.
Stress - Taking Charge: Helping Children Manage Stress
Author: Molgaard, Virginia (19 more by this author)
Description: This publication addresses some of the common situations that cause stress and worry among young children. It gives practical ways for parents and gaurdians to help them cope with that stress.
Stress - Taking Charge: Managing Stress in Young Families
Author: Molgaard, Virginia (19 more by this author); Mary Winter; Colleen Jolly
Description: This publication discusses stress management in young families through eleven sources of stress: Job and family roles, Making ends meet, Making ends meet, Finding affordable housing, Learning to parent, Parenting alone, Finding child care, Children’s illness or school problems, Loss of leisure time, Couple conflict, and Relationships with parents.
Talking to Children When the Unexpected Happens
Author: Mader, Sharon (3 more by this author)
Description: This fact sheet provides parents with suggestions on how to talk with their children during stressful times and help them deal with frightening situations or news events.
Talking To Kids About Mental Illnesses
Description: This publication explains to parents how to talk to their children about mental illness. This is also available in pdf.
Terrorism and Children: When War Is In the News
Author: Myers-Walls, Judith (6 more by this author)
Description: This updated site contains information for teachers and parents about how to talk to children about terrorism.
The Children: Are They Suffering From Stress?
Author: Malley, Cathy (2 more by this author)
Description: This newsletter article discusses reasons children may be feeling stress and ways in which children may express their stress. A list of things that a child needs in order to help prevent some of this stress is provided in the article.
What Do We Know About Giving Comfort?
Author: Nelson, Deborah
Description: This newsletter article discusses the importance of giving school-age children comfort when they are experiencing sadness, frustration, or pain and gives several examples of ways that adults can comfort school aged chidlren.
Your Guide to Preparing for Emergencies
Description: This website is aimed at helping families prepare for an emergency. This handbook organizes many of the factsheets found on this website in a handbook for easy use.