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Article Series:
Home Emergency Preparation Tips &
Family Disaster Plans
Disaster
Preparation & Your Child
Any adult that has been through a disaster
knows the entire event can be terrifying. Adults are much more
prepared than children to handle disaster however. When
a child goes through a disaster, he or she can be traumatized
for a
long time. The best way to prevent this from happening is to
talk to your child about disaster preparation. This will give
them an idea of what is possible and how your family plans
to act if a disaster strikes.
Age Appropriate Talks
When thinking about what you will say to prepare your child
for disaster, you certainly should consider their age. Older
children may be able to handle details of possible disasters.
Small children may get nervous however listening to details
of tornados or hurricanes. They should simply be told general
information. You can be honest about events, without being
too specific. They will need to know what a tornado or a fire
is, but should not need to know the possible harm it can do
to your family.
Rationalize the Situation
If your child is fearful of natural disaster events, you should
address the situation calmly. If you are a person that overreacts
when a tornado warning is issued, you can guarantee your children
will react in the same manner. Children mimic behavior from
their parents. If you rationalize the situation, by telling
the child there is a possibility of a disaster, but that you
will be prepared to handle it, they will feel much better.
Children often have anticipation anxiety, which is basically
a fear of what may happen in the future. You can ease this
by telling the child that many people go through these events
each year, and most of them come out of them unharmed.
Develop a Plan
The most important thing to do to get your children prepared
for disaster is to create a family plan. This plan should include
different things. One thing it should include is a designated
meeting place for family members to go in case of disaster.
If your home catches on fire, a nearby corner could be a meeting
place, however if a tornado were to occur, the meeting place
would be the basement or center room of your home. Be sure
that children know where these locations are. You can practice
going there so they will feel more comfortable.
Secondly, you should go over what your family will do if a
tornado or other event hits. You can practice crouching under
a table or teach your child how to escape safely from a fire.
The more you go over these routines, the better your children
will be prepared to respond. Children are creatures of routine,
so they will likely enjoy practicing for these events.
Reassure and Comfort with Love
One of the most crucial things to do to get your children
prepared for a possible disaster is to talk with them. You
should listen to their concerns and take them seriously. If
your child says he or she is terrified, you should never underestimate
their fears. Even thinking about these events can lead to anxiety
for many children, especially if they have been though a disaster
before. Make sure you reassure and comfort your children. Be
there for them so they can come to you with any concerns. Just
having you there for them can make a big difference in the
way they handle themselves regarding disaster.
Making the decision to prepare your children for potential
disaster is a great move. Being a responsible parent is not
always easy, but it means doing the best you can to prepare
your children for life’s twists and turns. By using these tips
to prepare your children for disaster, you will be able to
know that you have done all you can to help them feel secure
about possible disasters. The more secure they feel,
the less traumatic a disastrous event will be to them. Since the traumatic
effects can carry over for years, it is important to take these
preventative steps to avoid the trauma. Some children will
still get scared and confused, but by educating them on the
situation ahead of time, they will recover much quicker. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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