Going back to school after a natural disaster strikes your hometown can put stress and emotional weight on children’s academic lives. Students of all ages can be affected by the aftermath of a hurricane.
It’s important that schools, teachers, and parents come together to help teach children how to cope with all of the stress that could be lingering heavily either consciously or unconsciously on their minds. Teachers can provide support and stability in the classroom. Generally, the best thing for children after a hurricane is to get back into their daily routine.
Here are some helpful ways to bring some normalcy back into children’s lives:
Routine
Getting into a routine will help bring some conventional habits back into kids’ lives. This will bring a sense of security. Parents and teachers need to be aware that children may be dealing with trauma after a hurricane and this could have them acting out, restless, withdrawn, or they could have trouble concentrating. No matter what the situation is, all children adapt to the circumstances after a hurricane differently and because of this each individual deals with stress in different ways.
Honesty
The best thing for parents and teachers to do after a natural disaster is, to be honest and talk about what just happened. Give the students the opportunity to have an open discussion about the difficult experience they went through or still may be going through currently. Some families could have lost their homes while others fled for safety to a shelter. Listening to each student will help the teacher understand more of what his or her students are personally going through at home. Listening will also let children know they are supported in what they are going through.
Give back
If your hometown wasn’t impacted as gravely as some other places after Hurricane Harvey, Irma or Maria struck, it is still helpful to have discussions with children to see how they are feeling. Talking with children and figuring out how you can support cities that were traumatically impacted will help those who are suffering recover more quickly. Look for organizations that are helping provide relief such as the American Red Cross Association, Houston Food Bank, Galveston Food Bank, Corpus Christi Food Bank, and many more. If you’re able to, please donate something to help those in need.
Look into ways to hurricane-proof your home so you can have a sense of security should a natural disaster strike. Hurricane-proofing your home will pay off and ensure that you and your family are safe and secure during a hurricane. With Bahama shutters in Melbourne, Florida your home will be protected. Bahama shutters and armor screens excellent options as well as other security features we offer at Brevard Shutters.
