Therapists across the country have been offering tips to help parents and children deal with the stress and emotional aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. A child’s well-being can be greatly affected after a disaster, even if they aren’t directly involved in the location of the storm. Psychologists suggest that parents are hyper-aware during this time and be sure to listen, protect and connect with their kids.
It is extremely important to make children feel safe during a disaster of any kind. While, the east coast had time to prepare for this oncoming hurricane, on the west coast parents often have to deal with the anxiety of unexpected earthquakes. Whatever the natural disaster may be, it’s important that we listen to our children and explain to them what is going on. Ask them what exactly is worrying them and try to give them clear, calm and truthful answers. The more communication and discussion, the better. Children might see the remnants of the disaster within their own homes, or next door, and become highly anxious. Listen to their concerns, try to spend more time with them during this period and explain that the family is safe, will remain together and will work to get things back to normal again.
Another aspect that parents should be aware of is to not expose their kids to all the intense news coverage. When kids see and hear the news coverage running constantly on the TV, it can cause even more anxiety. Parents who are stressed and have concerns about the disaster should talk to other adults, not their children. Children pick up your emotions and might internalize your emotional state, so if you are having a meltdown, then ideally someone else should handle the kids for a while.
Natural disasters are thankfully not daily occurrences, but there are other daily life occurrences that parents often question how to handle. To further your education on how to be the best parent you can be through every stage of your child’s development, try taking a 6 hour online parenting class. High quality classes that contain the most up-to-date skills and techniques are available at the click of a button. Classes provide guidance on how to manage stress, how to be a strong role-model, how and when to set boundaries, and how to best communicate with your kids. Topics also include techniques to build self-esteem in your children, how to positive discipline, and to create a good reward and punishment system. You can log-in and out of the class at your convenience, so there’s no need to hire a babysitter or drive across town. You can do all your learning from the convenience of your own home computer.
Stressful times like natural disasters, divorces or big family changes, often make parents realize that they could use some new or better skills to help handle the emotional state of their children. Stressful times require a confident, stable parent at the helm. Taking an online parenting class takes little effort, but will reward caregivers for years to come by teaching the skills necessary to create a balanced, healthy home environment.