This is how Ukrainians abroad live the war 3:33
(CNN) --
Russia's attack on Ukraine has caused international outrage, with people around the world feeling stress and fear watching the violence and wondering what will come next.
That includes your children.
With so many images of violence and so few responses, your kids are likely aware of the war, even if it's far away, and they're probably terrified.
It can be daunting to talk to children, especially younger ones, about war, and it may seem best to keep your little ones happy by keeping the subject off their minds.
A battle in Kharkiv shows how Ukraine is fighting against the Russian invasion
But just because they don't hear it from you doesn't mean kids don't get information elsewhere, said Lee Chambers, a UK-based psychologist.
It's possible to have a calming, developmentally appropriate conversation with your kids about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but it's important to be intentional and watch out specifically for your child, Chambers said.
"I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all approach," he added.
"All children are different."
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Ukrainian service members collect unexploded ordnance after fighting with a Russian assault group in Kiev on Saturday.
Monitor TV and news about Ukraine
With adults worrying about the state of the world, it can be tempting to keep the TV on to catch every update, but psychologists say it could have an impact on children at home.
Children are like sponges and often absorb more than we think, Chambers said.
They may be paying close attention to images of bombs, missiles and violence, Chambers said.
Be open to your children's questions
You can educate yourself, but be sure to provide context, said Wendy Rice, a psychologist based in Tampa, Florida.
"If you have young children especially, look at the information with them, if you're going to see it, so they can ask some questions and you can talk to them about what's going on," Rice said.
Your kids can be very curious, but if they're not interested or don't have questions, that's okay too, she said.
Validate feelings while emphasizing safety
The conversations you have with your children should try to remind them that they are safe, while using age-appropriate language and avoiding normalizing war, Chambers said.
"I feel like it's important to make sure you create space as a parent for your child to feel comfortable before you have that discussion," she added.
But creating safety shouldn't come at the cost of invalidating your fears, said Chloe Carmichael, a New York psychologist.
“Sometimes what they need most is to know that they can express their feelings to an adult and that someone will take care of them.
“If they say something like 'wow, I'm scared of this,' we wouldn't want to say something like 'don't be scared,'” Carmichael said. “What they feel is really natural, so you can validate what they say like, 'Yeah, yeah. You know, this is a scary situation, but I want to know how I can help you feel safe.
Find a way to take comforting action
It can also be helpful for kids to explain that feelings shouldn't be controlled until they're gone, and that "sometimes they can inspire us to take some kind of healthy action," said Carmichael, author of "Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety" (Nervous energy: harness the power of your anxiety).
That action could mean looking up age-appropriate information together, Chambers said.
It could also mean doing chores and projects to raise money for charities that support Ukraine or writing letters to soldiers, Rice added.
Then ask them how that action made them feel, Carmichael said.
"Highlight that feeling and notice that there was that positive feeling even though it didn't fix the world," he added.
Remind them that it's okay to be a kid
It's great to teach kids how to respond to stress by taking action and helping others, but it's also important to show them that they can still be kids and have fun, Carmichael said.
Be sure to reinforce that helping others is important, but they need to take care of themselves too.
Turn off the news, run outside and have fun together, Carmichael stressed.
At times when the world seems uncertain, children can look to the adults in their lives to learn the value of taking breaks and enjoying life, he added.
Conflict Russia - UkraineChildren