After The Disaster - Handle Kids With Care!

When your family has been through a natural disaster you, as the adult, need to comfort them along with dealing with the aftermath recovery details. Watch for behavior problems such as wetting the bed, separation anxiety, or needing their favorite blanket. Older kids could start to behave more aggressively or become withdrawn.

How adults deal with disasters has a lot to do with how a child reacts. If they detect uncertainty, grief, frustration, or anger they will imitate it. Even the adults are coping with these fresh and raw emotions the most assistance you can give a child is to be calm, honest, and caring. Let them know that you are scared too, that it is alright to be scared, and that everyone will get through it.

Understanding what is causing the new behavior is key to helping the child cope with disasters. After any type of disaster such as a tornado, flood, or forest fire in the community children are most afraid of being left alone, that someone close to them is going to be killed, they will somehow to separated from you, or the same type of disaster will happen again.

Talk to your child with calmness, not only in your voice, but also with your body language. This is as situation where your child feels things based on how you act, probably more than by what you say. Reassure them with compassion and understanding. When you provide them information about what just happened do so as calmly and factually as you can. Get back to a regular schedule such as work, play, meals and bedtime, as soon as possible. Praise and recognize good and responsible behavior.

Preparing ahead of disasters helps everyone understand that it can happen to them. Each member of the household should know what to do and where to go when a disaster happens. A family disaster plan helps you to pull together the resources you will need in case of a disaster and safeguards your personal belongings, and do not forget to include a few of your child's special items. also.

Teach your children how to get help. The first line of defense is calling 911. Put the number near the phone so younger children can remember it. Talk to neighbors to ensure that your children can go there anytime of the night or day if something happens in the home and the 911 phone call can not be made there. Go through a family disaster drill, sounding off one of your home's fire alarms, to ensure everyone know what to do and where to meet if the house needs to be vacated. Make sure everyone knows what the emergency siren sounds like and what they should do if they're home, at school, in daycare, and even in the nursing home.

Natural disasters happen anytime, any where. With a little planning your family can be proactive when you find yourself part of a disaster. Plan ahead to be as prepared as you can and realize that your children are more afraid then they let on to be. Find out their concerns and meet them head-on with compassion and truthfulness about safety in the future.

Toni Grundstrom is a freelance writer. What types of natural disaster(s) is your family susceptible for becoming part of? Click Here for additional information about planning ahead for a disaster.

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Article Source: Toni Grundstrom