You can't control the news. You can control your living room.

I heard the phone ringing at 2 am. Followed by a message from my son stating: "Hey, I just wanted to ask a question, it can wait no worries."

I called him and he said: "What are our options if Beirut airport is bombed? What is Plan B? They are closing borders."

I am stuck in Dubai myself, trying to fly back to Amman. The UAE, as a nation, reaches out its hand to everyone, sending a clear and unwavering message: 'Your safety is our priority.." My kids in Lebanon don't feel such a message.

In Beirut right now, the news feels loud. Our children look to us for cues on how to feel. If we want to raise resilient kids, we don't need to hide the truth, we need to frame it within the safety of our home.

My son didn't call for logistics. He called to hear my voice remain steady. We often rush to fix the problem, but our children need us to witness their fear first. We need to validate the weight of the question before we try to lighten it.

When a child asks about bombs and borders, their brain is spiraling into a void of unknowns. We need to pull them back to the tangible. We cannot control the sky, but we can control our next breath and our next step.

In a city like Beirut, the news is not just on the TV; it is in the streets, in the group chats, in the worried whispers of adults. We must be the gatekeepers of the noise. The news will still be there tomorrow, but tonight, they need permission to exist outside of it. We have to let them disconnect, to be bored, to be a child, even when the world around them is screaming.

"I am right here on this phone, and I am not going anywhere."

We model resilience by showing that fear and strength can coexist.

To every parent in Beirut, Amman, and across our region who is answering unthinkable questions at unthinkable hours: You are not alone. You are the lighthouse in their storm. Keep your voice steady, keep your arms open, and keep the temperature of your living room warm enough to melt the ice that this world is trying to freeze around their hearts.

We cannot promise them safety from the world. But we can promise them safety with us.

#ParentingThroughCrisis #Beirut #Amman #MentalHealthMatters #Resilience #GulfParents #Lebanon #ParentingInTheMiddleEast