All around us, nature seems to be unleashing her fury, indiscriminately. Floods in Mumbai, hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, a killer quake in Pakistan- horrors seem to pounce on us relentlessly. Sneha, 8 years old, recently spent a night anxiously, beset with unnamed fears. She was convinced that a cyclone was ready to destroy her home and her family when rains lashed Chennai a few days ago.

 The sands literally shifted beneath our feet when the tsunami hit us a few months ago. Tsunami, a word most people did not even know, has become the quintessence of all our worst-imagined fears. Many adults watching natural disasters unravel on television are left with a feeling of uncertainty and insecurity. If we are so distressed, what is the effect on our children?

 Most children will be confused and frightened by the tragedies brought on by natural disasters. They will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes have now been added to the nameless and nebulous fears that beset impressionable children. As parents, we have to give our children a feeling of security. We have to help them work through their emotions and maybe even use the process as a learning experience.

 Today’s world is a global village. Unparalleled connectivity through the media is in some ways a curse because it gives us too much information. The tragic pictures pouring in from around the world are wounding to the soul.  Limit your child’s television viewing of these events.  If they must watch, watch with them for a brief time; then turn the set off.  If you sit mesmerized, re-watching the same events over and over again, give a thought to the effect it is having on your children.

Being role models

Children generally take their emotional cues from the adults around them. Avoid appearing anxious and frightened. At the same time do not let the children sense that you are lying to them. Children can usually handle information in small bites. So do not overburden them with all the detailed information about the disaster.

Reassure children that they are safe

 and (if true) so are the other important adults in their lives. Depending on the situation, point out factors that help ensure their immediate safety and that of the surrounding community.