Being evacuated or in a home fire is scary for both adults and children. This fear can extend well past the event, and can occur even if the child was not directly involved. Children often think what they are seeing on the news is happening to them; and hearing adults talk about it can add to the fear. It’s a good practice to limit watching the news in your home as much as possible, especially during the event.
Most importantly, stay as calm as possible during the actual emergency. The more you show stress, the more anxious and fearful your child will be.
Talk about your child’s feelings afterwards and accept whatever feelings they express rather than trying to change them. Make sure they have the things that give them comfort, such as a favorite stuffed animal, blanket or toy. Check in often to do this, and realize that it’s normal for children to regress when they’ve been in a traumatizing event. Be kind and patient when this happens and know that it doesn’t last forever.
It’s helpful to return to as much of your routine as possible as quickly as you can. If you now have a new routine, be consistent with it. Build in time for fun activities to help with the readjustment and with building hope.
Adults (parents, adults, care providers) in the child’s life are important to helping the child move through the trauma and becoming resilient. Remember to be kind and patient with yourself as well. This has been stressful for you as a parent too.
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