On September 8, as part of National Preparedness Month, PBS Kids ran a disaster-themed episode of
Arthur, a cartoon aimed at school-age children. On the show, all the characters had to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane: family members leaving, homes and businesses destroyed, staying in a shelter, helping others. The children also faced the emotional consequences of the disaster.
In the aftermath of a disaster, taking emotional care of yourself and your family can be hard. Yet, especially for children, that care is vital.
“How much are young children affected by events that take place around them? A lot,” according to Zero to Three, a nonprofit organization for early childhood development. Even though they may not understand the meaning of what they see or hear, children absorb the images that surround them and are deeply impacted by the emotions of the people they rely on for love and security.”
A great way to take care of children emotionally is let them help with emergency preparation.
In the
Arthur episode, the character Muffy happily described how her family prepared for the upcoming hurricane.
“Oh, the Crosswires are super prepared. We have a generator, tons of spring water, both sparkling and distilled, and three cases of smoked trout.”
Children can help make emergency kits. They can practice fire and other disaster drills. They can learn emergency contact information.
“Social science research and anecdotal evidence support the idea that children who have learned about emergency preparedness experience less anxiety during an actual emergency or disaster,” according to
Ready.gov.
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Turning off the television is a great way in helping children cope with disasters. Too many negative images can really pay a toll on their emotional well-being.[/caption]
After a disaster, turn off the TV and be careful following other media, say Cynthia Moore and Paula Rauch, authors of an e-book about helping children cope that was written for the anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. The need to follow every update can exacerbate adult anxiety, which children sense. Young children may think repeated images are new ones, which can make a disaster seem even worse than it is,
they wrote.
Instead, listen to children and talk to them after a disaster. For young children, that means playing with them, naming feelings and helping them color or tell stories.
“Answer children’s questions according to their level of understanding: ‘Yes, a bad thing happened but we are keeping you safe,’” said the Zero to Three guide.
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Having children serve those effected by disaster is a great way in helping them cope with the same event.[/caption]
A great way to help older children cope is to get them involved helping others. It can be as simple as writing letters or making cookies for friends, or helping collect supplies for others in need. On
Arthur, the title character built a web site to help pet owners reunite with their pets.
“Helping can be incredibly healing and empowering,” according to Ready.gov.
Talking is also therapeutic for older children. If they have suffered a loss, let them know the trouble won’t last forever. Keep it casual and Replace another trusted adult if they won’t talk to you, said a Ready.gov guide, “
Helping Children Cope.”
With all ages, “bear in mind that talking with your child involves more listening than talking,” Moore and Rauch wrote.
When taking care of children, don’t forget to take care of you, recommended the guide from Zero to Three. Get back to a routine as soon as possible. Share feelings with family and friends. Eat well, exercise and get rest. If necessary, get professional help. Take time to enjoy your children.
You can Replace all sorts of resources online to help children prepare for and cope with disasters. Here are a few.
The e-book,
Community Crises and Disasters, by Cynthia Moore and Paula Rauch, is a guide to help families deal with disaster. It was written for the anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. The authors are health care professionals who work in a family crisis center at
Massachusetts General Hospital.
Ready.gov has a section devoted to children with games and resources for parents, educators and children.
PBS Kids made a companion site for its emergency preparedness specials. It has videos, activities, a coloring page, and guides for adults.
- Melissa
