Calming Children During Tragedies
In the last week, there have been several major tragedies in schools, including the murder of an innocent child in an upscale school in Gurgaon. As responsible parents, one needs to protect the wellbeing of their children, as well as provide them solace and comfort.
Your children may have a lot of questions about whether they are in equal danger. Parents could be under equal worry and uncertainty about their kids’ safety. It’s normal to feel anxious after such disturbing incidents and hence we decided to reach out with strategies to minimize the feelings of worry and stress and restore normalcy. Please read the tips below for Assuring Children in Times of Tragedy:
Control the concern: It is normal and healthy to be concerned.
There may be reluctance among children who have learned about what happened. Parents may find it equally disturbing to drop their kids at the school. When the worry gets out of hand, it is important to remind ourselves of the probability of something like that happening to us. Keeping emotions in control and speaking in strict statistics, it is a very condemnable event yet a rare event.
Limit the News: You may be interested in being up to date with the happenings and proceedings of the incidents but the young hearts might not be able to handle the constant exposure and it could create unnecessary excess fear and anxiety in them.
Ask them – Answer them: Let yourself be their source of information. Make sure to know what they are learning about the incident from their friends and other sources. Do not avoid their questions and allow the possibility of them getting information from harmful sources.
At the same time, it is important to control the unnecessary details of the event that they need not know. For example, you can narrate the incident like this: “Someone hurt a kid in the school, but, we know that your school is safe and you’re safe in our home.”
Get back to the routine: You might feel keeping your kids with you for a while instead of sending them to school but it is important to get back to routine as early as it is safe to do so. That keeps their mind off of thinking too much and gets them involved in school activities. It creates the confidence of moving ahead no matter what terrible things happen!
The sense of security: Spend extra time with kids for a few weeks to talk with them, go out with them, participate in events or trips, read stories to them and making them feel safe and secure.
Role model: Kids look to you for courage and guidance in such tough times. You are their inspiration. Make sure to live up to that expectation. If you have fears of your own, visit a counsellor or discuss with friends and acquaintances.
Watch-out: Look for signs of excessive fear or anxiety. Difficulty concentrating on school work, or changes in sleep and appetite could be some signs. Make sure to get behavioural feedback from the class teacher and consult a psychologist if a need is felt.
Focus on the Positives in Life
There is more good than bad in the world. Hence, focus on richer family and community experiences and show the treasure of goodness all around the place to the kids. Lastly, guide and train them to focus on the positives.
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About Dr. Prerna Kohli
Most of all, Dr. Kohli believes that “You can talk with a close friend or relative about what’s troubling you. Yet it’s not the same as a professionally-trained experienced psychologist who knows exactly what kind of help you need.”
Most noteworthy, she is a 100 women Achievers Award Winner (2016) from the Honorable President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
Dr. Prerna Kohli is a Clinical Psychologist, a Public Speaker, a Workshop Facilitator and a Holistic Practitioner. Therefore, she offers Heart-based workshops and lectures that focus on Life Balance, Self-awareness, and Inner Peace. As a result, she is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and compassion with others. Consequently, Prerna blends intuitive wisdom with a solid understanding. Most of all, she creates a powerful holistic approach, specializing in the areas of Emotional change.
In conclusion, Dr. Prerna Kohli is a leading Psychologist in India. With over 20 years of experience and has been providing families, individuals, parents and children counseling on being happy.
