Preparing children for hurricanes

Contending with anxiety by displacement onto other situations or events can be a healthy defense. Parents should be attuned that kids may displace some of their anxieties into dream material and should lend a willing ear to youngsters who want to talk about their dreams, especially during the period of an imminent hurricane strike or the post-storm phase.

Involving children in organizing activities reduces their anxiety. Family members could be given a chore commensurate with their developmental level to ensure the group's safety and comfort. Child-oriented tasks could include maintaining an up-to-date inventory of batteries or tracking the coordinates of the storm. Children should be encouraged to consider ways in which they will pass their time should communication and travel be dislocated severely. This allows them to learn how to pick priorities as they plan what they would place in their emergency kits.

Parents should support their offspring and recognize that this is an opportunity for the children to make extremely important decisions. Youngsters should be encouraged and reminded to protect favorite stuffed animals and/or dolls. Mothers and fathers need to remember that these are tough choices for children to make. The desire to take 10 stuffed animals may reflect difficulty to make choices and set priorities. Alternatively, the decision not to take anything of importance may be an example not of bravado, but of helplessness or poor self-esteem. Kids should be helped to express their fears and disappointments and not necessarily be "brave." While parents need to project a sense of leadership and strength, they also should be aware that they can provide children with important cues by expressing some fear, anxiety, or disappointment.

Children should be included as a member of the family in developing a list of items to be put in a very safe place. This includes family photos, especially those of a child's accomplishments; pictures of youngsters with their parents or grandparents, especially if the parent or grandparent is not living or is not an integral part of the family; important drawings or other crafts; report cards, school mementos, trophies, and other awards; and special clothes that should be placed in safe-keeping prior to the onset of a hurricane. With such advanced preparation, even if a home is damaged severely, important emotionally charged items should be able to be saved intact.

Parents can help their offspring deal with their feelings and responsibility in general by having them take charge of the well-being of the family pet. Children normally are very sensitive to the feelings of animals. By taking care of the family or personal pet, youngsters can act out and project many of their concerns onto that of the animal. Children worrying about where the dog would sleep also may be expressing their own fears related to leaving their cherished bed. Pets allow youngsters a very important way of communicating feelings and learning responsibility. Parents whose off-spring do not have pets should encourage them to do so since animals are excellent facilitators for children to learn about and experience caring, bonding, and loss. Even simple pets such as hamsters serve the caring needs of children.