Preparing Your Children

Children:

• Disasters may strike quickly and without warning. These events can be frightening for adults.
• But they are traumatic for children if they don't know what to do.
• Children may become anxious, confused, or frightened.
• It is important to give children guidance that will help them reduce their fears.

Children and Their Response to Disaster:

• Children depend on daily routines: They wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, play with friends.
• When emergencies or disasters interrupt there routine, children may become anxious.
• In a disaster, they'll look to you and other adults for help.
• How you react to an emergency gives them clues on how to act.
• If you react with alarm, a child may become more scared. They see our fear as proof that the danger is real.
• If you seem overcome with a sense of loss, a child may feel their losses more strongly.
• Children's fears also may stem from their imagination, and you should take these feelings seriously.
• A child who feels afraid is afraid. Your words and actions can provide reassurance.
• When talking with your child, be sure to present a realistic picture that is both honest and manageable.
• Feelings of fear are healthy and natural for adults and children.
• But as an adult, you need to keep control of the situation.
• When danger has passed, concentrate on your child's emotional needs by asking them what's on there mind.
• Having children participate in the family's recovery activities will help them feel that their life will return to "normal."
• Your response during this time may have a lasting impact.