Stressors in Early Childhood

Well, Natural Disaster is certainly a hot topic for much of our world these days!  With the current earthquake/tsunami in Japan to regions of North America, unusually, hit by harsh winters; the worlds weather and natural disasters certainly add stress to life's already many demands.

This discussion and increased media attention for all of these natural disasters has gotten me thinking of when I was about seven years old...

**As a side note in no way do I think that my situation is any where near, or compares even closely to the catastrophic events in current happenings around the world, but it is what I have to reference:)  **

Anyway, when I was young we had a very stormy summer.  I stayed home with my sister in the summers (we lived in a very small town).  Because of the storms, my father would take me out to the back yard and taught me how to 'read' the clouds.  He showed me which direction they would travel, what different colors meant, what different clouds meant, what funnel clouds looked like and when we would need to run for cover.
One night when my whole family was home, we did have quite a storm!  I vividly remember the very large pine tree in front of our living room picture window swaying almost to its side.  I also remember the extreme blackness, not just 'night time' dark but absolute blackness outside.  There also seemed to be a significant charge in the air - as if you could feel the tension of nature building up.  At the high point of the storm I remember my father looking out the front window, watching up at the sky...without turning to look at us, he told us to get the pillows and blankets from our beds and to head to the basement a tornado was coming!


Now, I knew what tornadoes were and I knew they were dangerous and the amount of damage that they could cause (as if the storm itself wasn't doing a good enough job on its own) but I was still scared.  However, I remember not being scared because of the prospect of the storm but because I could feel my parents fear and tension - I will never forget that look on my father's face.

As it turns, out a very small tornado did touch down about a mile from our home and ripped up a few power lines in its path - small by comparison to many!  We coped with this dark, stormy night by being a family.  I was so thankful that my parents were there to protect me!  After the storm, of course, my sister and I were terrified but my parents talked us through it.  One way my parents always helped us was by telling us the truth, they never sugar - coated things so we knew what to expect and were never surprised.  We also had the benefit of having my father teach us about storms.  Having knowledge of what to watch for in the clouds allowed us to feel prepared on our own, to always be watchful and mindful and to never be taken by surprise by the black clouds on the horizon.


The recent earthquake in Japan is certainly fresh in all of our minds.  It made me wonder what relief efforts are done to help young children cope with such disasters that, literally, turn their whole world upside down.  One great effort is "Save the Children."  In the earthquake/tsunami ravaged areas that were the most greatly impacted, there have been designated children's centers set up with in the shelter.  These specially designated areas have crafts, activities, and specially trained staff to help work through the fears they may be having.

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6621121/k.3D08/Japan_Earthquake_Tsunami_Relief.htm

It is good to know that there are organizations out there that solely focus on the efforts of young children.  This of course will aid parents and the family as a whole!!