Daniela Singh

Chicago psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo told the News that the best way to manage your children’s fears is to manage your own.

“Children absorb our energy, so the more at peace you can be, the better for your children. This does not mean you need to like the president-elect. It does mean you move through the stages of mourning to acceptance.”

Lombardo recommends grounding children in realism and the present. “Fear is often caused by assumptions of what will happen, and then emotionally reacting as if those fears are imminent. Help your child focus on the here and now.”

She says that managing anxiety as a family is also important. “Help your entire family keep their stress in check. Ways to do that include deep breathing, jumping on the bed, going for a walk, dancing around to a song, spending positive time together.”