Helping Children Cope

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Educational Resources:

When kids learn in advance, they’ll have a better understanding of what’s taking place when disaster strikes. Some great resources for your family to check out together include:

• Weather Wiz Kids
  www.weatherwizkids.com
  See what makes weather tick in easy-to-understand
  terms and hands-on experiments.
• FEMA for Kids
  www.ready.gov/kids
  Find out ways to help prepare for hurricane season.
• How Stuff Works: Hurricanes
  science.howstuffworks.com/hurricane.htm
  Get answers to a lot of commonly-asked hurricane questions from this award-winning website.
• Red Cross
  "Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book" (English) or
  " ARC 2200S, Spanish " (for children ages 3-10)
• StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes
  stormstruck.com
  An interactive weather experience.
• Kids Get A Plan
  www.kidsgetaplan.com

Making Plans for the Family:

• Involve children in emergency planning, such as checking supplies and writing a shopping list.
• Follow suggestions or warnings by emergency services for the care and safety of your child.
• Use simple and matter-of-fact language to discuss safety steps.
• Play “let’s pretend...” games with young children to help them work out “what if” situations.

Evacuating with Your Family:

• Pack a small bag or box of supplies with games, books and hobby items.
• Remember diapers, food and drinks for kids.
• Bring a favorite toy or stuffed animal to help children feel more secure.

Coping with Emotions:

Even after families are out of danger, children may remain afraid. Research indicates that fears vary with age, maturity and previous experiences. Four major fears common in children are: death, darkness, animals and abandonment. Children are likely to experience three of these major fears during a storm which impacts their ability to cope for some time. Emotional support from parents is critical, well after the storm is over.

• Children mirror their parents’ anxieties, so be calm to help reduce your childrens fears.
• Listen to fears and reassure children often and repeatedly.
• Encourage them to talk and ask questions, but limit discussion to basic facts.
• Spend extra time before bedtime; leave a door open and night-light on.
• Maintain close contact. Hold and touch your child.
• Don’t discipline for unusual signs of anxiety during a crisis, like bedwetting or thumb-sucking.
• Do not lie to children about the dangers. Reassure them that you are focused on their safety.
• Be cautious of permitting young children to watch or listen to news.
• Allow for mourning and grieving over the loss of meaningful items.

If You Must Leave Your Child:

Children who have been through a disaster are afraid of being separated from family and left alone. Avoid separation, even to go to the store. If you must leave children with friends or relatives, reassure them:

• Let your child know how long you will be away.
• Let your child know how often you will be in touch with him or her.
• Keep in touch with your child frequently and as regularly as you promised.
• Make sure your child’s needs are being met.

Some children may need additional help in coping with a hurricane. Their behaviors may indicate additional problems. Following a disaster some children may:

• Be upset at the loss of a favorite toy, blanket or pet.
• Be angry. They might hit, throw, kick to show their anger.
• Become more active or restless and experience nightmares.
• Be afraid of the hurricane recurring.
• Want to sleep with a parent or other person.
• Have symptoms of illness such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, lack of appetite.
• Be quiet and withdrawn.
• Become easily upset, frequently crying and whining.
• Feel guilty that they caused the disaster because of some previous behavior.
• Feel neglected by parents who are busy trying to clean-up and rebuild.
• Refuse to go to school or to child care.
• Become afraid of loud noises, rain, storms.
• Not show any outward signs of being upset.