When your child asks if they’ll be harmed like the people on the news, what do you say? Psychologists provide tips on how to talk about identity

Many children are seeing aspects of their identity portrayed as problematic. Having regular conversations about identity can armor them against future harm.

By: Anahi Collado, University of Colorado Boulder and Colleen Cummings, Georgetown University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 22, 2026

Words: 1,928

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 5 days ago

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By Anahi Collado, University of Colorado Boulder and Colleen Cummings, Georgetown University

Imagine your child asks you out of the blue, “If we speak Spanish, will they take you away?” Or imagine them suddenly asking what an offensive slur means. When a child asks these types of questions, it can be difficult to trace them back to a specific news story or event. But you may not need to. The question itself tells you that your …

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