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There are more homeless students in the Tucson Unified School District this year.

Counselors report their offices are fuller, earlier, with students coming to talk about family pressures and fear of losing their homes.

Child psychologists are fielding more calls.

The financial misery that's depressing adults across the country is affecting children, too, even if they seem to care more about teddy bears than Bear Stearns.

While parents think they might be protecting children by shielding them from any discussion about the economy, experts say avoidance isn't the best approach -- especially because kids are already talking about it.

"These are little kids, maybe first or second grade, and they know the word 'economy,' " said Marybeth Rodriguez, a counselor at Collier and Henry elementary schools, in TUSD.

Elementary students at Collier, 3900 N. Bear Canyon Road, are so worried that their peers won't have something as basic as a birthday party that they decided to make "birthday boxes" for Tucson-area food banks to make sure no kid goes without a celebration.

A group of students from active-duty military families organized the drive, collecting cake mix, frosting, candles and party favors, and decorating the boxes with stickers, streamers and poems. They're estimating they'll deliver about 30 on Tuesday.

"We feel bad for the kids who can't afford anything, because they feel the same as us and we know we wouldn't be happy if we had a bad birthday," said 9-year-old Kaitlin Taylor.

Third-grader Mackenzie Mangan agreed. "On the news, you hear about how bad the economy is all the time and people don't have money and we wanted to help," she said.

Barbara Panunzio, a first-grade teacher at Henry, 650 N. Igo Way, said she's seen more young children talking about money than at any other time in her career.

"I just had one little girl come in and count out her change because she was worried about whether she had enough money for lunch," she said, adding several students told her they couldn't afford $3 for a field trip. Several of her families are dealing with layoffs right now.

"When a family is under tremendous stress, it takes a great deal of self-discipline to watch what they say around the children," Panunzio said. "It's difficult to remember sometimes how sensitive children are and that they do take in everything, even the tension in the air."

Panunzio applauds school counselors, who are "doing double-duty" with more students in distress, even as their own jobs might be in peril as schools brace for deep budget cuts.

Pam Fine, TUSD's homeless liaison, said when the crisis first struck, district workers heard more about homes being seized and families having to move in with relatives or friends.

"Now we're hearing more about a loss of jobs," she said. "And with the loss of jobs, there's the loss of apartments or homes, so we can really see that the economy is having an effect."

For all of school year 2006-07, the district served 1,162 homeless students. About halfway through this school year, that number already is at 1,249.

With federal law requiring the district to make those students as whole as they can, there are resources available to their families: clothing banks, grocery cards, immunizations, school meals, summer school, school supplies, tutoring, and even graduation caps and gowns.

The district also is required to bus them to their home school, even if they've moved across the city to a shelter and even if they now live outside of TUSD altogether.

Statistics show every time students change schools, it takes three to six months for them to catch up, Fine said.

"Families are relieved to get the help," she said. "It's one less thing they have to worry about and at least school can be an area of stability."

When it comes to making sure kids understand what's happening, finding the right words is important, experts say.

Starting a discussion with, "I just lost your college savings," isn't the best way to make children feel safe, said Deborah Ann Mulligan, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics who practices pediatric emergency medicine in Florida.

In the absence of information, kids will fill in the blanks. She had a 6-year-old in her office recently who said he was worried that his street would become a ghost town with all his friends losing their homes and moving away. Mulligan said the boy just needed reassurance that his friends have new homes, that their parents are caring for them, and that there are resources to help families in need.

"You don't want to portray a Pollyanna story and pretend life is better than it is, but you want to at least make them feel safe and secure and watched over by a responsible parent," she said.

Warning signs that students might be exhibiting stress, she said, include a loss or gain in weight, headaches, more problems socializing and also academic problems, from slipping grades to forgetting homework and diminished concentration.

Increased anxiety also can contribute to poor decisions from older students, who are wrestling with how the economy will shape their college and career plans. In November, an ABC News poll found nearly 70 percent of teens said their parents are worried about the economy, with 58 percent saying they themselves were concerned.

According to research from Students Against Destructive Decisions, teens who report feeling stressed are more likely to drink and use marijuana than their peers.

Parents need to also watch for tone and behavior.

Rodriguez, the counselor, said she started seeing a big jump in students showing up with the blues first thing in the morning, saying they watched their parents argue or that their parents were more quick to yell at them.

She also saw more kids coming in unkempt -- or without snacks for snack time. Checking real estate foreclosures in the area, she found 351 in Henry's zip code and about 60 in Collier's feeder area.

"Everything trickles down," she said. "If parents are under stress, they push that stress down the line."

Tips for Parents

--Take care of yourself -- If you're worried or upset, your children will be, too. Even very young children can tell when something is wrong.

--Limit media exposure -- When children overhear news coverage or adults talking about America's money problems, such as job cuts and people losing their homes, they may become worried, especially because they might not really understand what's happening.

--Choose your words carefully -- In times of uncertainty, try to focus on what you do know and offer reassuring words. For example, "We have enough money to pay for our food and our house, but we may need to spend less on eating out," or, "We saved money for times like these."

--Be sensitive to each child's needs -- Start by asking children individually what they may already have heard or offer a simple explanation at first. Then ask if they have any other questions.

--Plan family meetings -- Family meetings are an effective way for families to encourage healthy communication.

--Let your doctor know if you think your children are showing signs of stress -- Watch your children closely for changes in behavior, mood, friendships, or school performance, and talk to your children's primary-care clinician or other mental-health professional as needed.