_family MATTERS

Hurricane season's peak bri ngs fears forward

PARENTS MUST REACT CALMLY, SENSITIVELY TO CHllD~EN'S ANXIETIES

BY DR. ANDREA CORN

Dear Dr. Corn: Our 6-year-old daughter has started having nightmares about hurricanes. She wakes up frightened, dreaming our home has been destroyed by fierce rain and winds. Last September was very stressful for our family and our daughter has not forgotten this experience. Every so often she asks us if we are still safe. She seems wor-

when her feelings of safety and security were chal lenged. Although a year has passed, it is not uncommon to see such apprehension and unease, particularly since hurricane season peaks again this month. Your daughter is reliving some dis turbing feelings and memories.

Perhaps one rea son your daughter is having. bad dreams is that she has magni fied certain fears in her mind. Nothing is more frightening for a child than to expe rience feelings of

helplessness, uncer tainty, and lack of safety.

There may be a reluctance to talk about these matters during the day. When she falls asleep her mind doesn't stop nmc tioning; so it appears her worries are being played out in her dreams. She needs help in bring ing out her fright-

ened feelillgs. Even so, she may be afraid to talk to you about what bothers her. Perhaps she imagines a negative reaction to her fears; or she may not want to make you anxious.

It will be of the utmost importance to acknowl edge her discomfort and to pay attention to her

ried that something terrible will happen to us. The other day she asked if we would move out of Florida so we wouldn't have to experience any more hurricanes. We need to help her.

Your daughter is still reacting to an unsettling time

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Tips on how to help relieve kids' anxiety during hurricane season

Discuss why your family engages in hurricane preparation tasks. Interact by letting. your child know you appreciate her questions and concerns. You want to minimize confusion and reduce lingering fears.
Provide practical information to help decrease anxiety. Show her a map of the United States so she can see Fiorida's coastline is not the only area that meets the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Coast.
Talk about the positives of hurricane preparedness. "Together select one· or more age appropriate tasks for her to perform.
Be observant of any changes in your child's mood or behavior. She may have difficul ty' expressing her fears verbally, but you will notice changes. The best way to help her master her fears is to respond with patience and compassion. The more she can receive this consistently from you, the greater the likelihood she'll gradually learn to calm herself.
Set an example in your own behavior. This will also teach your child how to handle life's unpredictable events constructively. No matter where we live, we cannot pre vent nature's fury from occurring. By remaining calm and in charge of ourselves, we will model how to help our children weather such powerful storms.

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daughter will appreciate your reassur ances, positive attention, and hugs, as they will help diminish her apprehension and anxiety. Your daughter needs to learn to have more control ov~r what goes on inside of her rather than feel as if these sensations control her. Talking about this together will help. If her anxiety does not gradually subside. consider seeing a child therapist.

Dr. Andrea Corn is a child and family psycholo

gist in private practice. She is a member of the American Psy chological Asso ciation and the Association for the Advancement of Sports Psy chologists.