Dr. Mohan K Joshi

Tragedies are a part of life and at some point in life, every person faces them. It may be in different forms like separation, crisis in relationships, financial stress, death of a loved one, some severe disease and many others. Such tragedies can cripple anybody from inside out, but the children can have a devastating effect on their lives. Therefore, it is important that you love and support them during this phase and help them face the situation well.

Here are a few ways of dealing with the effects of tragedies on kids:

1. Talk to them, honestly: It is important to assure the kids that they are not alone in this world and should remember that there are many other people who love them. In case of a tragedy, kids usually have a lot of pent-up feelings inside them. You need to talk to them and make them understand that instead of keeping those feelings to themselves, they should talk to you or anyone they trust. Venting out will enable them to relax.
2. Act on truth: It is very important to teach the children that no matter what happens in life, there is a chance to start afresh. The kids should be surrounded with people they love, as it will make them feel a little relaxed and open. Also, it is essential for them to know that there’s always hope and not all is lost.
3. Remain calm: After a large scale tragedy, your children will usually look up to you regarding, how to react in a situation. Although it is okay for your children to see you sad or in grief, but you should keep as calm as possible and do not react intensely. This will help keep them calm and less anxious.
4. Reassure your children about safety: You should make your children understand that they are safe and nothing bad will happen to them. They must be reassured that no harm will come upon them as you are always with them.
5. Maintain normal routine: It is essential to give your children a feeling of normalcy. You must try to maintain their normal schedule with the usual dinner time, bed time and school time. You must pay special attention to them to make them feel more secure. You should spend extra time with them and always be there for company and reassurance for any factor.

Children are affected severely by any kind of tragedies as they are fragile and immature. Tragedies disrupt the balance of life, but you must try to make your children feel the crisis as less as possible, so that they get less hampered emotionally. A troubled childhood affects the healthy growing up of a child.