What are you telling your kids about the tsunami??

[jenelis]

I have a 6-year-old and everywhere you look there's tsunami coverage. She's scared to death that it's coming here and that we're going to die.

What are you all telling your children?

Seems like no matter what I tell her she's upset and I kind of understand-- after 9/11 I had an incredibly hard time sleeping for fear we were going to World War III and that the "end of the world" had begun. So I can say that some of her fear is genetic!

 

[LegacyOfLove]

Maybe it would help your daughter if you explained to her a little bit about "natural disasters" in a very simple way (age appropriate). Let her know that while these things do sometimes happen, there isn't too much we can do about it. HOWEVER, we can pray for the people who are affected by those things...and for their families....And in that way we are able to put something "positive" back in the middle of the destruction. That way too, you can change her focus around to being "proactive" rather than becoming fearful and feeling "powerless/helpless". (Hope that makes some sense.)

 

[lucypevensie]

Be calm, and as a parent be careful about the reactions you make. If you react in a horrified manner kids pick up on that. Though it is a very sad and tragic thing I think it is important for parents to model an attitude of confidence (and not fear). I'm not implying you freaked out in front of her, but a lot of parents teach their kids what they should be afraid of. I hear it all the time -- "Oh, spiders are so creepy", "Thunderstorms scare me to death!", etc...

I would just tell her some very basic facts. Get a map or globe and show her where it happened, how far away it happened from her home in the United States. That's basically all I did with my own kids. And we're careful how much time we spend watching the coverage. They are 5 and 7.

 

[LynnMcG]

My 5 year-old hasn't been allowed to watch the news since this happened. She has had a similar reaction to tornados and hurricanes since we have family affected by both in the last year though. She was fearful it was going to happen here and we just showed her a map to explain where it happened and where we are and that these things have never happened here. She doesn't need to know the scientific details and that these things may one day happen here. The point is, she's safe. That seemed to ease hear fear a great deal. If she asks about the tsunamis I'll just do the same thing. Also, empowering our daughter with prayer makes a huge difference. She knows God can do all things and that all she needs to do is ask. She believes when she asks it's done. And that's all that matters to her.

 

[okiemommy26]

We hardly ever watch the news anyways but we have staying away from that coverage i get enough of the coverage off the net so i dont need to watch the news. My kids havent seen what happen and I hope they dont see what happens. They might talk about it in school but I will answer questions when she ask.

 

[jenelis]

You guys are much calmer than I am. I've been watching, but try to do so after my daughter's in bed already. She's seen some news-- unless you don't watch any tv, it's hard not to... and her friends, cousins have been discussing it too.

I talked to her about natural disasters, but we're in central Florida (30 miles from west coast)-- Hurricane haven-- so she's expierienced three horrific storms this past summer and evacuations three times. I can understand her fears.

We talked some today, incorporating many of your suggestions like prayer and I suggested that she think about taking her most recent allowance and pledging that to "help buy food and water for the people who are in need" -- and now she wants to do that and make a lemonade and cookie stand to sell items for Tsunami relief. I think that's a good sign that she sees we've not in direct danger.

I think those of you who have managed to keep your kids from seeing anything about the Tsunami have the right idea.

Thanks for your advice everyone!

 

[EmSchmem]

I don't believe in keeping the truth from kids. I belive we have to explain it to them on their level but we shouldn't keep it from them. I worked in a school not long after 9/11. Schools were of course on lockdown so they mostly went about their normal day but they shortned classes since a lot of parents picked up their kids anyway. Since it was a Christian school they were able to apply things the kids were already learning. God didn't do these things and they are really really bad and yes the kids in these places are really really scared. They talked about how some didn't have parents anymore and that right then everyone should pray for God to give those kids someone to love them. It was really cool to hear about.
Now while I believe in the truth I don't think young kids need visual proof of the truth. I have seen many pictures that have been really disturbing to me as an adult and would not want to let my kids see them. Seems like it's PBS time and probably time for turning off the TV and spending that time playing a game or something instead.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Our six year old knows about the tsunami and what has happened. We've travelled quite a bit and he knows what volcanoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters are capable of. My graduate degree is in the sciences so he's been raised probably knowing more about earth systems than most kids his age. He also knows why the tsunami was so devasting. People had started building in areas that should have have been built upon and in the process they took out the trees (mangroves) that would have helped protect more of the areas. He also knows that anybody who died is now in Heaven so they are not gone forever from our lives. We also go to the beach alot and he already knows that when the water starts pulling away from the shore, we run uphill as fast as possible. Hmmmm...what else, oh yes, we have alert systems on our coasts so it would be very unlikely to catch him by surprise ever! You can also share about why you are donating money to help the victims and how you can all pray for the people touched by this disaster.

One thing we really try not to do is put fear in him. We tell him we are in God's hands and we need to just trust God with our lives. He is a very matter-of-fact kind of kid though so this has worked well. I hope to work in a developing country again and I don't want to shield him.