We live in Tennessee so we have not been directly affected by Hurricane Katrina. But my 4 yo dd has been having nightmares about hurricanes and crawled into our bed several times in the past 2 weeks. And every time she inadvertently sees something about it on tv, she curls up in our lap and says she has a tummy ache. And she has a stuffed dog that she has only snuggled up with over the years when she is sick or we are traveling or something else makes her insecure. She has not let that dog out of her sight in 2 weeks.

We have been doing all the stuff the psychologists say to do to help kids thru disasters and limiting her exposure to it. But the things that keep coming to my mind are things like why is this bothering her so much? She has seen very little of it. And as concerned as I am for my little girl who has so little exposure to it, I can not imagine what a child that lives down there could be going through. Breaks my heart.

By Amecmom on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 08:26 am:

It breaks mine, too. Little ones have lots of fears and it's doubly hard when something like this happens. I don't have any advice except to continue to offer her support and love. Hugs.
Ame

By My3cuties on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 10:30 am:

I'm so sorry. That is very sad. Your poor little daughter. The best I know is to just comfort her when she needs you, and be there for her, which I am sure you already are doing so keep doing what you are doing. (((hugs)))

By Annie2 on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 08:32 pm:

You need to turn off the news, keep newspaper pictures away from her. Everytime she sees something about it, she may be thinking that it is happening over and over again.

Do show her and tell her the good stories, age appropriate, of course, that are coming out.

Answer any and all questions that she may have. Also tell her that a hurricane is not something that normally comes to your area.

Take her to the local store and have her pick out a toy to send to a shelter. Have her write a letter to the special child you may receive the toy. Or she can dictate the letter to you and she can draw a picture for the donation. When she does this her fears may come into words or in her drawing and it will give you a starting point on what is bothering her.

Keep up the hugs and comfort. I hope this helps a bit.

By Imamommyx4 on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - 10:52 am:

We have been doing most of the stuff you mention. I only watch the news in my bedroom and turn it off if she is around. The children's minister at church gave parents a 3 page list of things to help kids during traumatic circumstances. And we've read that front to back.

But I just can't figure why it bothers her so much because we limited her exposure to all of it from the beginning. The day after the hurricane hit the coast, our schools closed for 1 day due to fears of flooding and high winds. And she wanted to know why she didn't get to go to school. I told her as delicately as I could with no fear or excitement on my part. And then we got next to no flooding and a hard breeze. Nothing major. Our hurricane experience (it was only classified as a tropical storm here) should not have scared her. But now every time the skies cloud up, she's afraid it is another hurricane.

But I do like the toy and picture idea. We may do that tomorrow. I have not read that idea in the stuff from church.

Thanks

By Jann on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - 08:18 pm:

Fears and nightmares really gear up at age 4. They are truly starting to understand that they are seperate from you. It's not uncommon to see night terrors start at this age. Probably the school being out helped to focus these anxieties that were already there. Loved all of Annie's suggestion. I think I would just keep reasuring her that she is safe.