Images of disasters online and on television can be hard for adults to handle, but very frightening for children.
Phyllis Foley serves as Dean of the Social Science at Vol State Community College and a licensed counselor. She said children need to feel safe above all.
“We want them to feel safe, we want them to feel the world is a safe place and we just want to ensure they understand that these are not acts that occur every day,” Foley said.
With three hurricanes and a mass shooting incident all in the last month, parents may feel overwhelmed. Little ones may also need reassurance, Foley said.
“No matter how upset they may feel that we’re always there for them and we’re not going to put them down or say ‘you shouldn’t be feeling like this’ but just to listen, and actively try to understand where they’re coming from,” Foley said.
Foley recommended coming up with a family emergency plan to give children something to focus on and make them feel safe.
