Susan Graham4 Boy Scouts remembered
June 13th 2008 14:29
On June 10th at 6:30pm a tornado hit Iowa. It took the life of 4 boy scouts.
This tragedy is heart wrenching and all of these children involved need not only your prayers and support, but they also need help dealing with this tragedy that they experienced first hand.
So how can a parent help when a child faces a disaster such as this one? Here are the guidelines and steps that a parent should take to help their child in this type of situation:
1. Communicate with your child. Provide them many opportunities to talk about their feelings and fears. Listen. Do not interrupt; let them get all of their feelings out. Don't be afraid to admit that you don't have all the answers to why these things happen. Comfort them.
2. Monitor children's television watching. They do not need to watch violent programs at this time, or to be exposed to the news clips of the event over and over again. They need to start their grieving process.
3. Help children to understand the grieving process and that all emotions that they may be feeling are normal. Anger, sadness, being scared - that everyone feels these emotions.
4. In addition to the tragic things that they may have saw, help children identify good things, such as heroic actions, families who are grateful for being reunited, and the assistance offered by people throughout the country and the world.
5. The family may want to consider counseling. The child is not the only one that will have fears. Parents will too. This is normal. Counseling may help both sides start healing.
Just be there for them.
And to all the families experiencing loss of their children - I know that God will hold your child in high honors, just as we do here.
This tragedy is heart wrenching and all of these children involved need not only your prayers and support, but they also need help dealing with this tragedy that they experienced first hand.
So how can a parent help when a child faces a disaster such as this one? Here are the guidelines and steps that a parent should take to help their child in this type of situation:
1. Communicate with your child. Provide them many opportunities to talk about their feelings and fears. Listen. Do not interrupt; let them get all of their feelings out. Don't be afraid to admit that you don't have all the answers to why these things happen. Comfort them.
2. Monitor children's television watching. They do not need to watch violent programs at this time, or to be exposed to the news clips of the event over and over again. They need to start their grieving process.
3. Help children to understand the grieving process and that all emotions that they may be feeling are normal. Anger, sadness, being scared - that everyone feels these emotions.
4. In addition to the tragic things that they may have saw, help children identify good things, such as heroic actions, families who are grateful for being reunited, and the assistance offered by people throughout the country and the world.
5. The family may want to consider counseling. The child is not the only one that will have fears. Parents will too. This is normal. Counseling may help both sides start healing.
Just be there for them.
And to all the families experiencing loss of their children - I know that God will hold your child in high honors, just as we do here.
From L to R: Aaron Eilerts, Ben Petzilka, Sam Thomsen
Josh Fennen
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