Sources for parents to explain war

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As the nation prepares to go to war, parents are preparing to deal with a lot of questions, anxieties and ethical dilemmas raised by their kids. There are a lot of good sources and experts to point them to. One of the most comprehensive is New York University's Child Study Center which goes into depth on such topics as "Should I let a child watch television?" and "Should I tell my child my opinion?"

Children's book author and military "brat" Michelle Ferguson-Cohen has written "Daddy, You're My Hero!" and "Mommy, You're My Hero!" to help military and reservist's families speak with children about deployment. The author's Web site offers book purchase information, plus additional helpful links to the National Association of School Psychologists and the American Psychological Association.

Some experts suggest that parents can use children's inevitable questions as "teaching moments." In the Los Angeles Times, reporter Melissa Healy suggests how and why parents must balance honesty with caution. And Scholastic News takes an inside look at kids in Iraq on the premise that humanizing conflict can help keep prejudice at bay.

Jill Wolfson is the associate editor of Bay Area Parent magazine and on the staff of The Beat Within, a weekly publication of writing and art by incarcerated youth.