Guide Family

How to talk to your child about danger and prepare them

Children sense adults’ anxiety and hear the news. A calm, age-appropriate conversation and a clear family plan help them more than silence.

Prepared by the InCaseMap team Updated

In short: calm yourself first, then ask what your child has already heard and how they feel. Keep it short and suited to their age: that it is safe now, that adults and the authorities are looking after safety and that your family has a plan. From the age of 4–5, teach your home address, a parent’s phone number and a meeting place. Limit news and images. In Lithuania, the parents’ line Tėvų linija (0 800 90012) advises parents, and the child line Vaikų linija (116 111) supports children.

Before you start

  • Calm yourself first: children pick up adults’ stress and anxiety.
  • Ask what your child already knows and where they heard it.
  • Ask how they feel — this shows what really worries them.
  • Don’t ignore the topic, but don’t dwell on it either: a short, calm conversation beats a long lecture.
  • Don’t promise what you can’t know, but don’t dramatise either.

What to say by age

Pre-school children

Simple and concrete: “Lithuania is safe right now. The government, soldiers, police and doctors are making sure it stays that way. And if anything happened, our family has a plan.” No details or images are needed. From the age of 4–5 you can start talking about being prepared, evacuation and first aid.

Primary school children

Find out what they already know. Children of this age often think in black and white, so gently correct and explain.

Teenagers

They already know a lot from friends and the internet. Check together whether their sources are reliable, agree on limits for news and give them responsibility — for example, checking the expiry dates in the family kit.

What to teach in advance

  • Your home address and at least one parent’s phone number. Write them on a card and put it in your child’s backpack.
  • A meeting place in case the phone network goes down. In the InCaseMap family group you can mark a meeting point for the whole family.
  • The safest place at home. Check it together as a game — where to shelter at home.
  • What the sirens sound like and what to do when you hear them — sirens and air raid alerts.
  • When and how to call 112.
  • At school or nursery, stay with the teachers. In an emergency, schools look after the children in their care, so agree that your child will wait for you there.

A child’s backpack can hold water, a snack, a torch, a card with contacts, a warm layer and a favourite toy. The list for the whole family — 72-hour preparedness.

News and images

  • Don’t show young children live coverage or violent images — they frighten them badly.
  • For teenagers, agree rather than ban: how much time and which sources.
  • If your child plays at war, don’t panic or forbid it: this is how they express feelings and process what they hear.

Where to get help

If your child can’t sleep for a long time, is constantly afraid or their behaviour has changed, talk to a specialist. Free help in Lithuania:

  • Tėvų linija (parents’ line) — 0 800 90012: psychologists advise parents (pvc.lt).
  • Vaikų linija (child line) — 116 111: emotional support for children and teenagers, anonymously (vaikulinija.lt).
  • Jaunimo linija (youth line) — 0 800 28888: help for teenagers and young people (jaunimolinija.lt).

Opening hours change, so check them on the lines’ websites. Most lines work in Lithuanian. If life is in danger, call 112.

Frequently asked questions

At what age should I talk to my child about war and danger?

With every child who asks or hears the news, but differently. For pre-schoolers it is enough to say briefly that it is safe now and the family has a plan. From the age of 4–5 they can learn the address, a parent’s phone number and a meeting place.

What should I say if my child asks whether there will be a war?

Don’t lie and don’t promise what you can’t know. Say that Lithuania is safe right now, that adults and the authorities are looking after safety and that your family has a plan for what to do.

What should I teach my child for an emergency?

Your home address, a parent’s phone number, a meeting place, the safest place at home, what to do when the sirens sound and when to call 112.

Is it normal for a child to play at war?

Yes. Specialists advise not to panic or forbid it — through play a child expresses feelings and processes what they hear.

Where can I get help if my child is very frightened?

In Lithuania, Tėvų linija (0 800 90012) advises parents, and Vaikų linija (116 111) and Jaunimo linija (0 800 28888) support children and young people. If life is in danger, call 112.

Sources

This text summarises official guidance and does not replace instructions from the authorities. During an emergency, follow announcements from LRT and the authorities.

You may freely use this text and its data, commercially too — just add a link: <a href="https://incasemap.com/en/talking-to-children-about-danger">InCaseMap</a> (more)

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