What do you say if your kids ask you about the situation with Iran?

Broiling tensions with Iran can be unsettling for many of us. As more and more troops are sent to the Middle East, it can be especially confusing and alarming for children.

This can be a difficult conversation for many parents.

Children born since 2001 have never known a country that wasn’t involved in a war. Shortly after the news of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani’s death, ‘World War III’ began trending on social media.

A local parent coach told Boston 25 News that just because your family may not be directly affected by what's happening in the Middle East right now, it doesn't mean you shouldn't talk about it.

“Talk of war and acts of terrorism can be confusing and scary for anyone, especially children,” said Beth Greenawalt, a certified parent coach based in Milton, Massachusetts. “Ask them what they heard and then you can specifically address what their worries are."

Related: No decision to leave Iraq, defense secretary says

Greenawalt says to be patient; your child may be hearing things that make them worried. She also suggests to be careful in what you share as well as asking the same thing over and over; repetition helps children absorb the information.

“I always caution parents: only address the question that they ask you,” she said. “We have a tendency as adults to go into way too much detail and give more information than, often, young children need to know.”

And it’s not just young children. Many teenagers are also on edge. The website for the Selective Service System crashed as people flooded the site with concerns over the trending ‘WWIII.’

Every year millions of men are required by law to register when they turn 18. The Selective Service System assured people on Twitter that, if the draft were necessary, it would require both Congressional and presidential approval.

"I would go with them online and discuss and find out what is real and true and help them curate what is actual information rather than what is just being sensationalized and put out there," Greenawalt said.

Women are not currently required to register. Registering with the Selective Service System does not enlist a person in the military.

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