Being displaced is a difficult experience for every family member. But it's important that parents check in with their children about how they are feeling regularly to ensure their emotional wellbeing.  Here are some thoughts from Affi Parvizi Wayne, an Iranian refugee now based in London, on how to approach these conversations.

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Transcription:

"The question of how to talk about emotional well-being, let alone prioritize it as an important element, is key to having a happy household and actually creating a happy, well-adjusted next generation.

Refugee parents, just by the fact that you are displaced, you are living somewhere where your own languages are being spoken, you have escaped trauma, you have escaped turmoil, you are already suffering from stress, distress. And I think it's very important to discuss this with the children, with your young children, and that it's very important for them to be able to express how they feel.

It's to give them the tools, whether it is going through books, I think there are many books that illustrate emotionally how children might be feeling. So give them visually and by words tools where they can express their anger, their frustration, their sadness, or whatever it is they're feeling.

Children talk at mealtimes. A lot of very good conversations are held in the car on the way to school. So use every opportunity to give your children space for them to tell you how they're feeling. And they've got to feel not judged. So even if it scares you to hear what your children have to say, or it frustrates you that they may not be having a good time at school, they need to feel that you've listened to them, you've heard them, and together you can come up with a solution.

I think it's very, very important to have these open-ended conversations so they feel they can continue on the same topic at whatever opportunity. Just give them the opportunity to speak."

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