Shutterstock
OK, so you’ve got your “go bag” stocked and ready, your house is prepped for weeks with food and supplies, but is the rest of your family ready should there be a natural disaster?
Having to think and prepare for the next wildfire, hurricane, tornado, or earthquake isn’t fun, but it’s something we all have to do if we want to be safe.
We never know when the next storm is going to strike, so it’s important to make sure your kids know what to do in case of an emergency.
No matter how old they are, here are a few easy ways to talk to your children about what they should do in case of an emergency.
Maybe you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes or you’re a California resident and experience a lot of earthquakes.
Regardless of your physical location, teach your children about the natural disaster they will more than likely experience growing up.
Take the time to explain what a hurricane is, what it does, and how you prepare for it.
Helping them to understand what’s going on around them will make them less afraid of disasters moving forward.
If you do have a “go bag,” show your children where it’s located and what it has inside.
If your child is young, give them a piece of paper with the phone number of your emergency phone (if you have one), so they know who to call in case they aren’t with you when a natural disaster occurs.
Make sure to put this number in a place where they won’t lose it (like a wallet or backpack).
If there is a massive storm and power lines get taken down, it is incredibly important that your children know not to go anywhere near them.
Not to mention, it is also important that they know not to be near any windows and that they need to find a safe place to shelter.
Walk your child through areas of the house where he or she could safely seek shelter, should they need to.
Above all, make sure your children know that these storms are relatively normal and that they don’t — hopefully — mean it’s the end of the world.
Though they can be incredibly scary and unnerving, especially for little ones, it’s important that kids know they happen and that if taken seriously, everyone will be OK.
