Traumatic Events: When Disaster Strikes Near or Far
The evening news is filled with accounts of one disaster after another. And although a fire, flood, bombing, hurricane, or terrible accident is seen on the small screen, the images are sometimes powerful enough to prompt fear or anxiety and, in some children, profound sadness or depression.
Some families avoid television for just this reason. But no matter how protective you are, at some point, your children will witness a traumatic event -- hopefully, one that doesn't strike your family. If it does, the support of family will be the mainstay of your survival and recovery.
How to bring it up
You can help relieve your children's anxiety or sadness when they are confronted by a deeply disturbing event. Your goal: to empower them with a sense of control and an awareness that they can make a difference in the world. Use these guidelines to navigate the difficult terrain:
- Be aware of your children's responses to TV news and dinnertime conversation about world events. You don't want to stir up fears and worries in young children, so stay alert to signs of anxiety; listen to the stories they tell and the conversations they have with playmates, and pay attention to their artwork and how they interact with others.
- Older children who are upset and fearful need reassurance, too -- mainly that the upsetting event is rare and unlikely to happen to them or anyone in their family.
- Encourage your children to take action. Something as simple as bringing canned goods to a donation site, setting up a lemonade stand to benefit disaster victims, volunteering as a family to offer relief, or helping to build houses will boost their pride and give them a sense of community with others.
