From the Center for Parenting and Family Well-Being at CHILDREN AT RISK:
This is a stressful and scary time for all of us affected by Hurricane Harvey, including our most vulnerable population – our children. Disasters can leave children feeling scared, nervous, confused and anxious. It’s important to recognize these natural reactions and that children’s responses to tragedy and disaster can be mixed, and even delayed – trauma doesn’t go away once the flood waters have disappeared. Here are five tips to help our children cope with these emotions, as we begin the healing process:
TIP #1: Encourage Dialogue – Speak simply and honestly about the situation. Listen to your kids. Ask them about their feelings. Validate their concerns. Keep things hopeful. Even in the most difficult situations, it is important to identify some positive aspect and to stay hopeful for the future. A positive and optimistic outlook helps children see the good things in the world around them. This outlook can be one way to help them get through even the most challenging times. Provide ongoing opportunities for children to talk since they will probably have more questions as time goes on. http://bit.ly/2xsBKMV
TIP #2: Focus on the Helpers – Speak with your children about community recovery, what’s happening now and what will continue to happen in the aftermath. Reassure children that neighbors, volunteers, and the government are taking action to help all those affected by this disaster, including opening up shelters, rescuing people from flooded neighborhoods, donating supplies and funds, restoring electricity, removing debris, and to helping families find safety http://bit.ly/2vmIezy
TIP #3: Maintain the Texan Spirit – Speak with your children about helping your neighbors and coming together as a community. Encourage children to help. Children recover and cope better when they feel they are helping. Find opportunities in which they can contribute in the aftermath of the hurricane. This is a great time to discuss what is going on around the city and brainstorm ways they can help during this time and in the coming weeks http://bit.ly/2vmIezy
TIP #4: Monitor Adult Conversation & News Exposure – Be aware of what is being said during adult conversations about the hurricane, the flooding, and its aftermath. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened unnecessarily about something they do not understand. In a world of the 24 hour a day news cycle, limit the amount of news your children are watching and remember that it is important to take a break from it. You want them to know what’s going on but you also want to be mindful of how much they can developmentally handle http://bit.ly/2vyP2pM & http://bit.ly/2wdnyZq
TIP #5: Emphasize Your Family’s Safety – Remind your children that they will be ok. Make sure that your children understand they’re safe, that you will take care of them and that the family will be taken care of. Reassure them their current safety and their safety in the future. This may need to be repeated many times following the hurricane and flooding. Spending extra time with your children and staying connected to them will help them feel safe. http://cnn.it/2vmMAqg & http://bit.ly/2glvjHB