How to Talk to Your Kids About the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Children today have more access to knowledge about the outside world than ever before. Whether it be the news, the internet, or overhearing conversations had by adults -- children overhear a lot. As my mother always says “Little pictures have big ears”. As a parent, you want to raise your children to become caring, kind, empathetic people who make a positive impact on the world and the people around them. You also want to protect your childhood from the ugliness of the world for as long as possible. How do you do both? How do you discuss the hard truths, tragedies, and crimes against humanity? You simply start having conversations. Let’s take the Syrian refugee crisis for example.
Where to begin?
In order to start having these difficult, yet crucial conversations with our future leaders you have to educate yourself. There are many different kinds of refugee crises. Violence, persecution, famine, war, severe natural disasters, and other extraordinary circumstances occur and it threatens the lives of citizens. As poet Warsan Shire writes, “No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark.”
Throughout history, there have been thousands of refugee crises. The Jews were persecuted in World War II in what is now known as the Holocaust. The Partition of India into two separate nations (India and Pakistan) forced millions of people out of their homes because of religious strife between the countries. Many countries are currently facing refugee crises, Venezuela, Myanmar, Somalia, and Syria. The crisis in Syria has been going on for a decade, and is currently the world’s largest refugee crisis.
6.6 million Refugees: The number of Syrians that have been forced to flee their country since 2011. In order to be considered a refugee, the person has to cross the border into another country.
6.7 million Internally Displaced: When the person does not cross a national border and is staying in a different area within their home country, they are called IDP, an Internally Displaced Person.
1%: Only one percent of refugees are resettled to a third country such as the United States or Europe. The majority of refugees are stuck in neighboring countries, primarily Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt.
17 years: That is how many years a person will be stuck living in a refugee camp.
How did this all start?
The Syrian civil war started with peaceful protests seeking democracy and civil rights reform from the President, Bashar-al Assad. March 15, 2011, also known as “The Day of Rage,” is internationally acknowledged as the start of the Syrian civil war. The Syrians took to the streets protesting for basic rights that we enjoy. President Bashar-al Assad responded by using extreme force such as chemical weapons and bombing the anti-government forces to quell the protests. Everyday Syrians began to flee the violence, destruction, and danger that became their reality. Syrian refugees will not be returning home anytime soon. Simply put, their home no longer exists. The destruction caused by the war leaves nothing but danger and rubble.
How has this affected children?
For most Syrian children, war is all they have ever known. These children have faced, violence, malnutrition, and disease. They have been forced into labor and abuse, lost family members, and their access to education. At least ⅓ of the children affected by this crisis are out of school.
Why talk to my child about Syria?
As parents, we want to protect our children from the harsh realities and traumas around the world. We want to keep them in the bubble we have constructed where greed, poverty, hunger, and war are not a topic of daily discussion. Yet, we must remember that our ultimate goal as a parent is not to raise a child, but to raise a well-informed adult.
No matter the environment we raise our children in, there are realities about the world around us. By exposing them to circumstances other families face, we are teaching our children how to think perceptively and be empathetic to others. When we help them become conscious of the world around them and learn to consider ideas beyond the scope of their immediate surroundings we raise future global citizens, and teach our children how to navigate difficult conversations. There are unfortunate truths in this world like the Syrian refugee crisis, and exposing our children to events like this will make the future generation more compassionate, understanding, and successful.
How can I help?
Donate, educate yourself and share their stories. The children affected by the refugee crisis are just like your own child. They have all the talent and potential of any child, but are often seen only for their vulnerabilities. Hello Future is working to change that.
“Founded in 2016, Hello Future is a nonprofit organization that bridges the education gap for adolescent refugees. Our mission is to transform the refugee youth experience from forgotten, alone, and stuck to connected and empowered so they can thrive anywhere. We accomplish this by teaching the essential skills needed to become entrepreneurs and community leaders.”
Check out this episode on a perspective changing summer camp hosted by Hello Future for Syrian refugee teens and US youth from The Ten News, a podcast created for curious kids age 8-12 and hear first hand what it is like to spend the summer with refugee teens.