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Why wait until a storm, hurricane, flood or tornado to talk to your kids about natural disasters?
Chances are, if you live in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas, you and your family has had to deal with hurricane/disaster preparedness already. Many parts of the country have their own “weather issues,” so whether you live in an area that’s hit with mudslides, fires, or blizzards, it’s smart to talk to your children beforehand.

Your child knows that his parents get anxious, gather their supplies, watch the local news or listen to the radio when a storm is approaching. They also receive disaster prepreparedness instruction at school, so they know what’s going on.

Let them know you have a plan. They will find this reassuring.
Children like to know that their parents and guardians are looking out for them–and they also like to be a part of what’s going on.

One of the easiest ways to discuss disasters, is to get a book from the library or bookstore. FEMA has compiled this great list for kids. There’s everything on here from tornados to ice storms.

You’re not trying to scare your child, and by giving them the scientific facts of how a storm develops, what course it usually takes, and how people respond and help one another will give a child a sense of knowledge, safety, and power.

Here are some helpful books to check out that will help children cope with disaster:

Tornadoes by Seymour Simon. Ages 4 - 8. How and why tornadoes form, how they behave, how scientists predict and track them, and what to do to protect yourself.

The Big Flood by Wendy Pfeffer and Vanessa Lubach. Ages 4 - 8. How one community responded when the Mississippi River flooded in 1993.

Hurricane by David Wiesner. Ages 4 -8. A giant storm is experienced through the child’s perspective. How two boys turn their hurricane-torn backyard into an adventure land.

The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane (Magic School Bus Series) by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. Ages 4 - 8. A tropical storm catches the Magic School Bus inside the eye of its hurricane, providing firsthand information on changes taking place in air, sea and land.

Fire Truck by Peter Sis. Ages 4 - 8. A little boy wakes up one morning to discover he’s turned into a fire truck. The book focuses on his imaginative rescue missions.

No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids and Dragons by Jean Pendziwol and Martine Gourbault. Ages 3 - 8. A low-key approach to fire safety for kids.

Emma and the Night Dogs by Susan Bivin Aller and Marni Backer. Ages 4 - 8. Inspired by the Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue, Inc., the book presents a touching view of search dogs in action through a fictional story about a lost boy.

Boy and a Bear, The Children’s Relaxation Book by Lori Lite. Introduces 3-to-9 year old children to a relaxation technique called circular breathing, an effective technique for helping children decrease anxiety levels and manage stress associated with traumatic incidents.
AGES 9 - 12

Blizzard: The Storm that Changed America by Jim Murphy. Ages 9 - 12. Historical account of the blizzard of 1888 that hit the East Coast and how people survived.

Forest Fires: Natural Disasters by Luke Thompson. Ages 9 - 12. Fact-filled book that explains how and why forest fires occur.

Terrorism (Crime, Justice and Punishment) by Austin Sarat and Ann Graham Gaines. Young adult. Focuses on terrorism in the Middle East and shows how it has affected America. Examines history, mentality and goals of terrorists.

Floods (Restless Planet) by Emma Durham and Mark Maslin. Ages 9 -12.

I Know What to Do: A Kid’s Guide to Natural Disasters by Bonnie S. Mark, Aviva Layton and Michael Chesworth. Ages 9 - 12.

Rescue (Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books) by Claire Watts. Ages 9 - 12. A reference book that teaches children about emergency rescues. Includes information on how to survive until help arrives.

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If you’ve already experienced a disaster, then choose a book to read that will open the lines of communication. Be sensitive to what you pick and watch your child’s reactions. They may “relive” the event, and feel uncomfortable, or they may be extremely curious. Don’t avoid the subject completely. Some families act like nothing ever happened. Counselors and psychologists who deal with disaster victims don’t recommend this. Talking, and feel comfortable enough and safe enough to talk is healing. It may take some time, and books can start the journey.

Helpful Sites:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/lkstmpl.asp?url=/content/libraries/kidsite/coping.asp (Great list of books on all kinds of disasters and traumas)

Helpful Sites and Information:

Disaster Relief workbooks, including My Earthquake Story, My Tornado Story, My Flood Story, My Fire Story and My Hurricane Story.

To order, go to: http://www.cphc-sf.org/disaster_books.htm

http://www.fema.gov/kids/tch_bks.htm

www.aarp.org/family/grandparenting/articles/helping_children_cope_with_trauma.html

www.fema.gov/kids/teacher.htm

www.fema.gov/pdf/library/color.pdf

www.selfhelpmagazine.com/article/for-children