Raising children is more than looking after their physical needs, providing for their education, and teaching them moral values. It is also about making them resilient and strong enough to handle emergencies. Disasters can happen unexpectedly, and you cannot be too prepared to deal with them. But preparing your family members can keep you a step ahead of the implications of disasters, regardless of their severity. Let us share some parenting advice on raising resilient children who can get through emergencies without losing control.
Create awareness regarding potential disasters
Children can handle emergencies better if they are aware of the possibilities. Creating awareness about the possibilities takes you a long way with cultivating resilience. Explain the natural hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, ice storms, blizzards, and tornadoes. Also, educate them regarding man-made ones like nuclear disasters, war, terrorism, and attacks. Showing pictures and videos helps them understand the gravity of such situations.
Build an emergency plan
Besides discussing the potential emergencies, highlight ways to cope with them. Build an emergency plan that covers lockdown, shelter-in-place, and evacuation. Explain which of the procedures is necessary for specific situations. For example, shelter-in-place is the ideal solution immediately after a nuclear blast. But you may have to evacuate within a couple of weeks once it is safe to get out of your home. Your children should be ready for all circumstances, so practice procedures to make them aware.
Have emergency supplies in place
You must have emergency supplies in place and ensure that your kids know how to access and use them. It prepares them for survival even when they have to lock themselves in after a disaster strikes. Besides the basics like food and water, you must stock up on medicines, toiletries, daily essentials, and self-defense weapons to safeguard your loved ones in a crisis. Experts at MIRA Safety recommend having nuclear safety gear like gas masks and Hazmat suits for your loved ones. They can be lifesavers if a large-scale nuclear emergency arises.
Foster mental resilience
Fostering mental resilience is perhaps the most critical aspect of getting your kids ready to handle emergencies. Although you must create awareness, remember not to make it stressful and scary for young children. Reassure them that you will always be there for them, but they need to do their bit to stay safe and get through a tight spot. Mental resilience enables children to cope better as they are less likely to panic in challenging situations.
Nurture survival skills
Survival skills can save your kids during an emergency. Nurturing them requires some effort, but it is worthwhile. Start with self-defense training from a young age. Encourage physical fitness by taking kids for outdoor activities and trips. Also, teach them the basics such as cooking, minor DIY repairs, and using the radio for communication. Providing them with information such as emergency contact numbers is also a wise measure.
Making your kids resilient and disaster-ready is the best thing you can do for them. But most parents overlook this part of their role. Follow these tips to keep your kids ahead of disasters and emergencies.