Emotional Needs

Julia Cook discusses intruder drills with her book, "I'm Not Scared, I'm Prepared!". This video for parents can help parents discuss how and why we practice this drill.

Elmo learns what to do when there is a fire. This video discusses fire safety, the job of firefighters and the Fire Department, and how to get help if there is a real emergency.

Helping children cope with feelings of anxiety and fear about separation or going to new places can be tough! UCLA Center for Child Anxiety Resilience Education and Support (CARES) Director, Dr. John Piacentini and CARES Clinical Psychology Fellow, Dr. Diana Santacrose suggest ways that parents can help their child manage feelings of stress and anxiety. They also note when parents might want to seek more support for their family. For more information, visit CARES: UCLA Center for Child Anxiety

Helping Children Grieve

Coping with the death of a loved one can be tremendously challenging for young children and their families. Every child grieves in different ways, just as adults do, and their stages of grief are rarely linear and often circle around. Many children have challenging questions about what happens when someone dies, and experience worries that others may die after the death of a loved one.

Sesame Street has many wonderful resources for children experiencing different stages of grief and different challenges with coping. Find resources for talking to your Falcons about grief, activities and videos to do with your Falcons to help them understand grief, and information about what to expect from your children when a loved one dies.

The loss of a pet can also be especially challenging. Click HERE for a special "I Miss My Pet" workbook for children who have experienced the loss of a pet.