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Children
and Crisis Events
During
and After a Crisis | Invite
Children to Participate in Planning
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Is
it just me, or are there many more disasters
happening around us? As we get home from
a long hard day's work and begin our
evening rituals, we turn on the television
to catch up on all the news-worthy events
of the day. Earthquakes, landslides,
fires, floods, war, not to mention our
local news which includes shootings,
robberies, and lost children! The older
we get, the more we tend to ignore the
severity of it all. We've become hardened
by it all. But what about the children
in the room? When children see emergencies
and disasters on television, it sometimes
can bother them and create worry or stress
in their lives. Children can be afraid
of things they don't understand, so if
you take time to discuss emergencies
and being prepared with them, it will
help not only calm their fears, but make
them a more confident and prepared person.
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The
better prepared you are, the more reassuring
you are!
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When parents and caregivers or other
family members deal with crisis situations
calmly and confidently, children feel
more confident and secure. a child's
reactions are influenced by the behavior
they see. The better prepared you are,
the more reassuring you may be during
an emergency. This can help children
cope.
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During
and After a Crisis Event |
Show
understanding. After a crisis,
children are most afraid that the event
will happen
again, someone close to them will be killed
or hurt or that they will be left alone or
separated from their family. You can help them
by:
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- Sharing
facts with them about the event
and plans to keep them safe.
- Encouraging
them to talk or express what
they are feeling.
- Listening
to their concerns.
- Giving
them specific tasks to do. This
lets them know they can help
and can restore a sense of control.
- Spending
extra time with them.
- Re-establishing
daily routines.
- Understanding
that children have different
reactions to crisis events based
on their maturity, age and experience.
- Knowing
when and how to get help for
a child who continues to suffer.
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Monitor
and limit your family's exposure to the
media.
The news can bring out fear
and confusion among children and adults.
Watching images over and over can cause younger
children to believe the event is happening
again and again. Parents and caregivers might
want to talk about what is being shown on
TV with them.
Use
support networks. Parents and caregivers
are almost always the best source of support
for their children in difficult times. It is
important for adults to understand their own
feelings to manage their reactions better.
Adults in control of their feelings are better
able to support their children.
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- Get
informed.
Know what hazards are in your
area. Know evacuation routes and disaster
plans where you and your family spend
time.
- Develop
a family disaster plan.
Being prepared
can help the whole family cope better
and have a greater sense of control.
- Assemble
a disaster supply kit.
This kit can help
your family stay safe and be more comfortable
during and after a crisis event..
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Invite
Children
to Participate |
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Normally
as adults we tend to take care of the above
on our own without inviting children to participate,
which I think, is ignoring the most opportune
time to make children feel not only at ease
but part of the planning process.
Not only will they feel like an important part of the family, they will also
remember how the plan and supplies come into play if they are a part of it from
its inception. |
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