Earthquake Safety and your Children
Watching over little ones can make handling a natural disaster even more difficult. Although it may seem easier to simply not say anything and hope for the best, earthquake preparedness has proven to make a huge difference in survivability. Sharing basic earthquake information with your children is extremely important.
Education Not Fear
The last thing you want to do is terrify children when you discuss disaster planning. Little ones must be prepared for what is to come so they can handle it as calmly and confidently as possible. Approach the topic as a learning experience, and explain to children that they can get through it, if they follow your instruction.
Do Not Avoid Questions
Your children will most likely have questions, even if they have never seen an earthquake movie. The news often reports stories that show earthquake videos and other details. While you do not want to scare children, they should be aware of the serious nature of such an event. When they ask questions, do not be afraid to answer them. Do not leave them guessing. Keep communication open and stress the fact that earthquake safety guidelines can help protect them from danger.
Practice Drills
When you practice something, you feel more confident about doing it. Help your children with their own earthquake preparedness by holding the occasional practice drill. Let your little ones demonstrate their knowledge about what to do if stuck indoors. Then move outside and let them practice the proper reaction when stuck out in the open. This type of active disaster planning will help your children get through it safely.