As the news of a mob of violent protesters storming the U.S. Capitol played out on Wednesday—on top of what’s already been a scary and overwhelming year—it’s normal for children to have fears and questions. And it’s normal for parents to be unsure about how to respond.

After all, finding a balance between helping kids understand the world and not causing too much anxiety can be difficult, says Gail Heyman, a professor of psychology at the University of California San Diego.

“Parents are often tempted to lie as a first response, because they don’t want their child to worry or that they shouldn’t be burdened with this, and that’s a bad approach,” she says. “It’s bad to overwhelm children with too much