Hurricane Harvey continues to devastate our city, and it’s going to be a long time before we begin to feel “normal” again. Our children are watching us, taking our cues, and reacting to our emotional responses to this natural disaster. Most likely, they {especially our very young children} cannot fully understand or process what’s happening in Houston. They have been out of routines, out of school, and out of sorts. Some have lost everything they own, and some have had to abruptly and dramatically leave their homes and all their possessions.
Here at Houston Moms Blog we know what a challenging time this is because we are navigating this journey right alongside you. Our children are asking those hard questions, and we have been wiping away the tears and searching for just the right words too. With that in mind, we wanted to provide a list of resources full of advice and tips for helping children cope with the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. We hope you find it as useful as we have…
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Tips for Helping Children Cope with Hurricanes, Storms and their Aftermath from Texas Children’s Hospital
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What You Should Know about Floods/Impact on Children and Families from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
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Art Activities to Help Children Recover from Natural Disaster from GoodTherapy.org
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8 Books to Help Children Understand Natural Disasters and Cope with Anxiety from Forbes
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Simple stories to help children understand Harvey {video}
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Look for the Helpers by Mr. Rogers {video}
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A School Counselor’s Letter by The Village School
As we process our own emotions and the stress that Hurricane Harvey left in his wake, it is vital that we consider the ways our children are coping and healing from their own trauma. Do you have any other advice or resources to share with Houston mamas on helping our children through this difficult time? We would love to keep the list going in the comments below!