What to Tell Kids about Disasters: Kids Corner

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, July 16 and October 29, 2006

Show 318

Tragic as they are, heroes and lessons come from disasters, and living in today's world, you probably can't shield your kids when something big happens. 9-11, the tsunamis, Hurricane Katrina. How do you help your child deal with disaster? First, try to understand how they're taking it. Children often show anxieties that can seem over-the-top. That's normal, but without ample reassurance, those fears may stick with your kids for life. In tragic times, how you react gives them clues on how to act. If you react with alarm, a child may become more scared. That goes for disasters you're watching on TV, or experiencing in real life. You suspect they'll hear about it, so create an open dialogue with your kids about what has happened. Watch an age-appropriate amount of news coverage as a family, and talk about what you've seen. Remember, the news makes stories seem amazingly close to home, and your child may not understand the disaster didn't happen next door. Reassure him, and put things in perspective, even though television shows it happening over and over, it only happened once. If your child seems terribly frightened by the news, just turn it off. Consider creating a family disaster plan to help children cope with a big tragedy. Teach your kids how to recognize danger signals like smoke, how to call 911, and help them memorize their name, address and phone number. Not only might your child feel more secure, your whole family will be better prepared if something bad ever does happen.  Let them know they're loved, and don't worry that talking about it will scare your child more.  Kids are usually more scared of what's whispered.