Stuck in the midst of a natural disaster can be terrifying enough for adults, so imagine how jarring it can be for children. Expectedly kids will be scared or nervous, and while you can’t change your surroundings during an emergency or call off a natural disaster, there are still ways that you can keep your kids calm.
Often the best thing for anxious situations is to focus on something else. The first thing you’ll want to do is assign your kid a job. Have them hold the flashlight, help them tape the windows or, the most fun-sounding, have them crank the radio. A job will help them keep busy and keep their mind off feeling in danger and focus that energy into activity.
Another helpful tip is make sure that wherever you’re sheltering has things that are comforting like their favorite stuffed animal or blanket. If you have a designated place you know you’ll take shelter in case of a natural disaster, like a basement, then camp out there once in a while during normal times. Bring things they like, play games, while mimicking what could happen during an actual emergency– like having the radio, eating similar foods, light from a lantern, etc.– this way they will be familiar with the shelter spot and be more comfortable if disaster strikes and they have to shelter there for real.
Along those same lines, try to introduce sounds they might hear and sights they might encounter in case of fire, tornado, etc. If they have some familiarity going in, they are likely to be calmer when faced with it for real.
Being anxious during an emergency is natural and expected at any age. But keeping children active and making sure they are informed ahead of time can prevent them from getting too overwhelmed should they come face-to-face with it.
