Emergency ABC - How to Talk to Your Child about Disaster Preparation

How to Talk to Your Child about Disaster Preparation

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.

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