How to Talk to Your Children About Disasters

As a child, life is relatively safe. We protect our children from the day that they are born, and do everything in our power to keep them from coming into harm?s way. Unfortunately, some events are beyond your control as a parent, and in the event that the unthinkable does happen and your family is involved in a flood, fire, earthquake, or other natural disaster, you will want to make sure that your children are properly prepared to handle the situation and to keep themselves safe.

While preparation is important, the last thing that you want is to cause undue anxiety to your children. As a result it?s important to be careful about the way that you choose to broach the subject of disaster preparation. You will want to present this information in such a way as to empower your children and give them confidence, rather than instilling them with fear and terror. Here are a few ways that you can make this experience as positive as possible:

Find out what they already know

Depending on your child?s age, they may already have seen hurricanes, floods and fires on the news. Find out what they know about natural disasters, and how that makes them feel. This will give you a better idea of the knowledge base that you have to build on, and let you know where you should start in your discussion.

Give accurate information that?s not overly explicit

If your children have any misconceptions or gaps in their knowledge, fill them in in a calm, educational way. Dispel any myths or untruths that they may have heard from other sources, and do your best to explain that natural disasters are rare, and not something to be feared, but rather something to be aware of and well prepared for. This can be the perfect segway into a discussion about disaster planning, household procedures and family meeting points.

Give them time to ask questions and express their fears

It?s more than likely that your children will have some questions for you after your talk about fire and disaster planning. Be open to their questions. Remember that your children are extremely sensitive to the moods and reactions of the people around them, and that your patience and calm demeanor will have a comforting effect. Find out what fears they may have about fires or other incidents in the home, and do your best to

Make yourself available

Let your son or daughter know that they can always come to you if they feel worried or if they have any questions. This will give them a feeling of security and will lessen the chance of them harboring private fears and anxieties. Since the concept of natural disasters and emergency situations can be overwhelming for some children, they will appreciate having the support of a parent to put them at ease.

Conclusion

Explaining the importance of disaster prevention and response to your children is not only helpful, it might save their lives. If handled properly, talking to your children about emergency planning can be a positive experience for everyone involved. This is the surest way of knowing that your entire family is well prepared, and that your children have the proper information to handle any situation that might arise.

Scott Mitchell is a fire and life safety expert at WPS Disaster Management Solutions. WPS is an industry leader in emergency planning and disaster training. For more information, please visit our website at http://wps-plan.com

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