Psychologist Svitlana Arefniya: what to do if a child draws war.

Psychological advice for parents.

Psychologist Svitlana Arefniya shared tips on how to help a child who draws war-related pictures. In the program 'Everything Will Be Okay' on STB, she provided these pieces of advice. A Kyiv resident, Maria, approached the psychologist on behalf of her first-grader son, who draws tanks, bombings, and other military actions.

The psychologist explained that such drawings are a normal reaction of the child to stress. Sometimes children cannot express their feelings in words, so they use drawings.

'Do not demand only positive drawings from the child. Support them in what they are doing. Wait for them to start sharing about their drawings. This will help them express their feelings,' recommends the psychologist.

If the child wants to destroy the war drawing, it is worth doing it together with them to get rid of fear. A ritual can be suggested - tearing or burning the drawing. But if the child wants to hang it on the wall, that can also be allowed. It's important to monitor changes in their drawings, as stress can pass at different rates for each child.

Recall that earlier the psychologist shared how to manage negative emotions during the war and maintain mental health.