INCLUSIVE FAMILY
Talking to
Kids About
Homelessness BY HEATHER M. ROSS
As a parent you want
to protect your child
from the harsh realities
of the world and let
them be a kid for as
long as possible, but
one day the question
will come up. Why is
that person sleeping
outside? Where is
their coat? What
does that sign say?
It Can Happen to Anyone
People become homeless for many rea-
sons. Fleeing violence, loss of income,
mental health challenges and natural
disasters can all cause displacement. The
important message to get across to your
child is that something happened that
caused a person to not have a home or
safe place to go.

This is a good time to bring up homeless
shelters. Tell your child that sometimes
these shelters are full or there might be
special circumstances preventing peo-
ple from using them—such as being
unable to house a beloved pet or having
26 Washington FAMILY DECEMBER 2022
a work schedule incompatible with the
shelter’s curfew.

According to a 2021 study from the
Becker Friedman Institute for Economics
at the University of Chicago, 53% of peo-
ple living in homeless shelters and 40% of
unsheltered people are employed. People
experiencing homelessness are not home-
less by choice. Many are unable to work,
and those who are able typically do.

Explain to your child that even though a
person may work very hard, that person still
might not have enough money to afford a
home. This might be because of low income,
too many other expenses or because the
cost of where they were living increased.

It’s Often Temporary
The median spell of homelessness is 2.6
months, according to an article published
in the Journal of Urban Economics. Some
people are homeless for longer, but the
important thing to convey to your child is
that a homeless person will probably have
a place to stay again soon.

There are Ways You Can Help
Talking to your kids about homelessness
is not an easy conversation. It can evoke
feelings of helplessness and sadness. To
help your child process what they are
learning and feel empowered, let them
know that there are ways people can help
and set a good example.

Homeless shelters rely heavily on dona-
tions and volunteers from the community to
operate and provide the best care and sup-
port possible. Donating your time, money
or items is a great way to help those expe-
riencing homelessness and demonstrate
generosity and compassion to your child.

Volunteering or dropping off items
are the most visible ways to teach your
child about helping those in need. The
AVAILABLELIGHT/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
A s of 2019, more than half a million
people experienced homelessness
in the United States, according to
the Annual Homeless Assessment Report
to Congress.

As a parent, you want to protect your
child from the harsh realities of the world
and let them be a kid for as long as pos-
sible, but one day the question will come
up, ‘Why is that person sleeping out-
side? Where is their coat? What does
that sign say?’
These questions can be uncomfortable,
but your answers will shape the way your
child learns, grows and interacts with the
world around them.

They may first see homelessness on
TV, read about it in a book or encounter
a homeless person face to face. Children
are naturally curious and empathetic. As
these cold months roll in, your children
are going to notice when people aren’t
inside or don’t have warm enough clothes.

Start out with simple, empathetic
language when explaining homelessness—
especially if your child is very young.

Here are some ways to talk about why it
happens and what you can do to help.