From another museum related list...I'm sure our colleagues won't mind it being shared... Bridget Jones Sam Rayburn House Museum Bonham, TX >Dear Friends and Colleagues: > >We found the following information on how to help children cope with >disasters, and have sent it out to our email membership -- please pass it >on! Our best thoughts and wishes are with those who are dealing first hand >with today's disasters. > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >Suzanna Cole >Director of Visitor Services >Austin Children's Museum >201 Colorado Street >Austin, TX 78701 >ph: (512) 472-2499, ext. 208 >fax: (512) 472-2495 >email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> >www.austinkids.org <http://www.austinkids.org> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >Helping Children Cope with Disaster >When an unforeseen disaster occurs, young children often experience stress >that can cause sudden behavioral changes, feelings of insecurity or >confusion, and intense curiosity about the disaster. Depending on the extent >of their exposure to the disaster, some children may also experience >regressive behavior such as bedwetting, thumb sucking and fear of sleeping >alone. Helping children confront their stress and emotions is the best way >to help them cope with the terror and confusion of a sudden disaster. > Here are some tips from the American Psychological Association and >researchers at North Carolina State University on helping young children get >through the anxiety and confusion after a major disaster: >1) Let children know that they are safe. Disastrous events can terrify >children by erasing their sense of control and safety. One way to rebuild a >child's confidence is by starting a conversation about safety. Asking >children what they need in order to feel safe is a solid way to start. >2) Allow children to express their emotions by talking, drawing or playing. >Encouraging children to express their fears and concerns can give parents a >much fuller idea of what kind of stress their children are experiencing. >Identifying a child's fears is the first step toward conquering them. >3) Monitor children's exposure to media reports covering the disaster. >According to the American Psychological Association, young children and >pre-teens are not developmentally prepared to comprehend the kind of >information and images that are reported on broadcast news. >4) Keep a watchful eye on your children around bedtime. Children's fears and >insecurities can intensify around bedtime. Keeping your children company >until they fall asleep is a good idea if you child displays any fear. >5) Don't worry if you don't have all the answers. It's okay to be honest by >telling a child that you don't know the answer to a question. Being honest >in this way can also help you discuss the fact that disasters are >unpredictable and often unexplainable. Remember to watch for the emotions >and issues this conversation brings up, and continue to reinforce your >child's feeling of safety. >Dealing with disaster can be a painful and frightening experience for >children and adults alike. By helping children address their fears and by >rebuilding their confidence, parents can help their children cope with >disaster in a healthy and appropriate way. > ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).