When the World Feels Too Big: Talking With Our Kids About Hard Things

When the World Feels Too Big: Talking With Our Kids About Hard Things

From The Self-Driven Child by Ned Johnson

March 26, 2026 · 53 min · Season 1 · Episode 69

About this episode

Ned Johnson discusses how parents can talk to their kids about difficult current events and manage their own emotions.

In a world where violent incidents, political upheaval, and shocking news dominate headlines --- from immigration enforcement violence in Minnesota to studies pointing to "nihilistic" violence without clear motives --- many parents and caregivers are left wondering: How do we talk about this with our kids? And more importantly, how do we process our own feelings so that we don't become overwhelmed or paralyzed by fear, uncertainty, or anger? In this episode, Ned speaks with teen mental health...

People in this episode

Host: Ned Johnson

Topics covered

  • mental health
  • parenting
  • communication
  • current events
  • emotional processing

Keywords

  • kids
  • parenting
  • mental health
  • communication
  • current events
  • emotional processing

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Minnesota

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