# When war appears in a child's play

A war story may worry an adult, but one observation cannot establish its cause or a diagnosis. This article offers ways to consider what is happening without decoding every toy: does the child want to participate, can someone else decline, is actual harm occurring, and what assistance is needed? There is no home play therapy, compulsory happy ending, or requirement to ban imagination. Respect for invention can coexist with boundaries against coercion and pain. A consultation can be requested without a recording or a detailed account of past events. In current danger, necessary protection and obtaining help come before interpreting a story or reading the article.