Children never need adults' calm resolve more than during a crisis. Among the most stressful events are uncontrollable natural disasters that disrupt homes, child care centers, and all semblance of a stable daily routine. Disasters such as raging fires, floods, devastating hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados, or earthquakes wreak physical as well as emotional havoc.

With responsive parents and child care professionals as role models and coaches, children can learn to cope constructively as they face disaster-related fear, insecurity, and confusion. Listed below are tips to put into practice. Experiencing disaster is harrowing; but surviving tough times together reaffirms a family's love, loyalty, and sense of resilience.


Tips for Responding to Children during a Disaster

• Remain as calm as possible. Give children a constructive example to follow. Children will be extremely sensitive to your actions as well as words.

• To get children's quick cooperation, give them clear, simple directions according to their age and development.

• Reassure children they're not forgotten in the chaos. Let your actions convince them their safety and security are your top priority. Be honest and specific about actions you will take to protect them. Lying to children erodes trust. Focus on what you can control.

• Explain disaster-related terms children hear in simple, understandable, and age-appropriate language. For instance, amidst fires in the U.S., children will need immediate help with terms such as: evacuation, evacuees, firestorm, fire jumps, air quality, drought, combustible material, Santa Ana winds (and even "Devil" winds), state of emergency, and Federal disaster area. In fact, children around the world hearing news coverage of the fire disaster will need help grasping those terms.

• Children may understand some facts, but be confused by others. Listen carefully and clear up misconceptions to reduce anxiety. Respond to children's questions calmly. Giving too little information can confuse children; likewise, giving them too much information can overwhelm them.

• Be patient if children repeat the same questions. Children grasp abstract concepts slowly. Repeated questions is their way of trying to get a clear picture of events, including the sequence and reasons for them. If children don't ask questions, don't assume they aren't worried. Ask an open-ended question to encourage communication. Example: "I'm wondering if you're afraid the fire could reach our house."

• Validate feelings children share about confusion or anger and avoid belittling those feelings. Example: "We are all worried the fire will spread. People are doing all they can to keep people safe."

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