We are living in a dark world where there are so many senseless acts of violence that are having a profound impact on our nation and on our children. The recent assassination of public figure Charlie Kirk, a leader many young people look up to and follow, has left communities heartbroken and unsettled. When tragedy comes to someone admired, especially by youth, the impact runs deeper than news stories – it stirs their hearts and challenges their sense of security and purpose.

In moments like these, it’s tempting for kids (and adults) to grab the easy response: anger, blame or retreating into cynicism. But here’s the truth: What’s easy in the moment often leads to harder consequences later. The better way, the way that builds character and strengthens families, isn’t usually the quickest or loudest. As parents, we have the privilege of modeling that truth for our children. We don’t have to pass along despair or division. We can hand them hope, even in a fractured world.

When crisis or controversy hits, resist the temptation to choose what’s easy. Lead your kids toward what’s right, even if it’s hard, because doing right shapes hearts, homes and, ultimately, the future.

Three Hope-Filled Steps for Parents

1. Help Kids Process Instead of React

Headlines about violence or threats against leaders can leave young people shaken. It’s normal for children (and adults!) to feel angry or confused after distressing news. Instead of rushing to opinions, invite your kids to pause and reflect.

• Name the loss or concern. Say, “This is sad, and it’s okay to feel that.” Naming pain lessens its grip.

• Ask open questions. “What did you hear? How does that make you feel? What do you think would make things better?” Curiosity opens the door for thoughtful conversation.

• Limit the noise. Endless headlines and social feeds keep wounds open and raw. Decide together how much is too much so they can keep a healthy perspective. 

Teaching our kids to breathe before they blast gives them something our culture rarely offers: perspective.

2. Model the Hard, Right Way

Children watch how we respond more than they listen to our words. The hard, right way often looks like this:

• Speak truth without venom. Critique wrong actions, but don’t attack people made in God’s image.

• Lead with empathy. Even when you disagree, honor the pain involved. That’s strength, not weakness.

• Choose grace over gossip. Resist repeating unverified stories, conspiracy theories or tearing others down.

It may seem easier to mirror the outrage around us, but taking the high road teaches kids that peace and reconciliation are stronger than rage.

3. Anchor Your Home in Values, Not Just Opinions

Opinions shift with headlines. Values endure. Use these moments to remind your family who you are and what you stand for.

• Clarify core values. Integrity, compassion, respect, courage. Write them on a whiteboard or post them on the fridge so everyone sees them daily.

• Share inspirational reminders. Offer quotes from great leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Consider pairing them with Bible verses that reinforce strong values: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

• Practice small, brave choices. Hold doors for strangers, refuse gossip, stand kindly for someone left out. Little acts train big muscles.

When values are clear, kids don’t have to guess how to act when tension rises. They already know and are secure in who they are.

Why This Matters

Helping our kids navigate a divided culture isn’t just about surviving headlines. It’s about shaping young men and women who bring light into dark places. Kids who learn to process before reacting, who take the high road, and who anchor themselves to unshakable values become leaders who heal instead of harm.

And here’s the hopeful twist: Moments like these, as heavy as they feel, are opportunities. They invite us to raise a generation of courageous peacemakers.

As parents, we can’t always choose the world our children inherit. But we can shape how they walk through it. Rather than feeding outrage, let’s build homes where wisdom wins over impulse, where faith is bigger than fear, and where love proves stronger than division.

Taking the easy way may offer quick comfort, but it rarely delivers peace. Choosing the harder, higher road may cost something in the moment, but it builds families who stand firm, love well, and leave a legacy worth following.

That’s how we create winning families, even in difficult times.
Rodney Gage is a family mentor, author of The Winning Family: 5 Essential Shifts Every Parent Needs to Win at Home, and founding pastor of ReThink Life Church in Lake Nona. For more parenting resources, visit http://thewinningfamily.com or http://rethinklife.com.