Disasters are traumatic for children even if they know what to do. During a disaster, your family may have to leave your home and daily routine behind. Children may become anxious, confused or frightened. Giving children guidance to help reduce their fears is essential. In a disaster, children will look to you and other adults for help. How you react to an emergency gives them clues about how to act. If you react with alarm, children may become more scared. They will see your fear as proof that the danger is real. If you seem overcome with a sense of loss, a child may feel losses more strongly.
Media coverage of disasters and people’s reactions to the events can be very upsetting to children.
Turn off the TV and other video streaming platforms. Letting children watch television news reports about such events is inadvisable, especially if the images are shown repeatedly. Immediately after a disaster, try to reduce your child’s fear and anxiety. Keep the family together. Calmly and firmly explain the situation, and assure them that help is on the way. Encourage children to talk, and include them in the recovery activities.
Children’s fears
After a disaster, children are most afraid that:
- the event will happen again
- someone will be injured or killed
- they will be separated from their family
- they will be left alone
Help your kids cope
You may have to leave your home during a disaster. Consider putting together your own “kids’ activity survival kit” so they will have things to do and share with other children if you must relocate from your home.
Your kids’ survival kit may include:
- a few favorite books
- crayons and pencils
- plenty of paper
- scissors and glue
- a few favorite toys
- board games/cards
- a favorite stuffed animal
- pictures of family/pets
- a favorite blanket or pillow
Home Escape Plan
Personal preparedness
