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General Info > Traumatic EventsTRAUMATIC EVENTS: RESPONDING TO THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS Unfortunately we live in a world in which adults and children are often exposed to traumatic events including violent acts. Individuals, parents and school personnel while dealing with their own emotional responses to the events also need to handle the apprehensions, fears, and concerns of children. For young children, the emotional effects of a crisis can be quite pronounced. Sometimes they act in regressed, childish ways. They get clingy, dependent, and/or irritable. Some children may have nightmares as a way of coping and expressing their fears. Children who listen to "round-the-clock" radio and television coverage may misinterpret the information and develop a distorted sense of what's happening. Older children may express anger, feel helpless, or even feel guilty.The best advice for individuals, parents and school personnel is to make yourself available to talk and listen to children and provide assurance. Clearly explain what has occurred and why it happened in a way a young child or student can understand. It is also good advice not to hide your own fears, but instead to say, "I'm concerned, too." and discuss ways to make everyone feel safer and better.
I. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
CHILDREN/STUDENTS:
TEACHERS
FAMILIES/ADULTS
SCHOOL POLICIES
II.GUIDES TO SPEECH AND ACTION WITH CHILDREN LISTEN: Give children many opportunities to express their feelings and thoughts, both formally and informally. Examples:
OBSERVE: Stay closely tuned to children's behavior in structured and unstructured situations. Take note of individual or group changes. Watch for signs of withdrawal, aggressive behavior, namecalling, limit-testing, fatigue. All these are signals for help.
INTEGRATE ACTIONS INTO THE CURRICULUM: If children want to take an action, talk it through with them and decide if it is appropriate for your classroom. Keep in mind that action - doing something counteracts fear and depression. If possible, build information and research into the curriculum. Consider including conflict resolution and cooperative play activities into daily activities. WITH ADULTS
III.RESPONDING TO THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS Before we can begin to help children deal with their feelings about a traumatic event, it is important for us to assess our own thoughts and feelings regarding what has happened. We must be sure that we do not project our interpretations onto the children we care for and work with as we struggle to sort out the issues. Our job as parents and teachers is to remain neutral and to take our cues from the children as to what needs to be discussed, and then to discuss it in a appropriate way. Most children hear conversations and see graphic news reports. Although they may not understand all of the details, they do sense the additional stress this has caused in the adults around them. We should continue to promote respect for every person's thoughts and feelings, providing opportunities for children to express their feelings and perceptions. It is essential for children to believe that adults will keep them safe.Here are some ideas and activities to consider:
PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES
PHYSICAL CONTACT: Children need lots of physical contact to help them develop a sense of security. This is especially true during times of stress. Even very young infants can pick up on the stress in the adults around them and be comforted by increasing physical contact. Young children may prefer to be held, sit on your lap, or just be "clingy".
DRAMATIC PLAY/BLOCK PLAY: These kinds of play allow children the opportunities to act out things they have seen and heard. It can be very therapeutic for the children, as well as providing a time for teachers to observe and assess how each child is coping, and to identify any misconceptions the children may have.ART: Provide lots of open-ended art materials (i.e., clay, crayons, paints, marking pens) for individual use.
EXPRESSING FEELINGS: We all have positive and negative feelings and conflicts within ourselves and with others. This is part of being human. Greater understanding of these feelings is the key to better human relations. Encourage children to understand and accept their own feelings. Talk about a variety of feelings, including 'sad', 'afraid', 'angry', etc. Ask children how they deal with different feelings.
PUPPETS: Play with puppets can be effective in encouraging children to verbalize their feelings. An example is to have your puppet ask the child's puppet questions like, "What have you heard about what happened?" and "What do you think about it?"STORIES Read stories to the children that deal with conflict resolution or children coping with frightening situations. This can be a non-threatening way to convey reactions and stimulate discussion. It is helpful to emphasize how people resolve conflicts and their feelings of fear.
SONGS: Singing is also a non-threatening way to address issues children are dealing with. Look through your own collection, or go to you local library for more choices. Add fingerplays or movement.
LARGE MUSCLE ACTIVITY When children are restless or anxious, any activity that involves large muscle movements are helpful. You might try your own simple version of aerobics, exercising, skipping or jumping to music.
NOURISHMENT: Have extra amounts of finger foods (fruits and vegetables) and fluids on hand. Increased activity and stress may increase a child's need for nourishment. It provides oral satisfaction especially necessary as they may tend to revert to more regressive or primitive behavior in response to feeling that their survival or security is threatened. (However, be aware that this is not an excuse for overeating or bingeing on junk food.)
ELEMENTARY ACTIVITIES
Note: Keeping developmental appropriateness in mind, consider some of the preschool activities for use with K-1 children also.HOLD DISCUSSIONS: It is important to get the child's perspective of the traumatic event in order to deal with their anxieties and any distorted information. Provide a neutral environment which supports each child's right to an opinion or feeling. Remind children that people have different opinions on how to do things and that we do not always agree. Ask open-ended questions. Dr. David Chesluk, Child Psychiatrist, suggests asking:
TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE: Giving students opportunities to take an active role can channel their anxiety into putting energy into a creative experience with others. Respond to suggestions which come from the child, sorting appropriateness for school and family. (Drawing pictures, writing letters to the newspaper or to politicians, or making a bulletin board or poster which expresses feelings are possible activities.) Perhaps your students can research local, national or international organizations that seem to believe in issues the children are interested in (individually or in small groups). Write them for more information. Use the materials you receive to discuss their goals and philosophies. Develop a display with the materials collected.
FANTASY PLAY/PUPPETS: Both activities can be effective in reducing inhibitions and encouraging students to talk about their feelings and thoughts. Children will often respond more freely to a puppet asking questions than to an adult. Help or encourage students to develop their own skits or puppet shows.
ART: Open ended art activities should be encouraged, and materials (i.e., clay, felt tip markers, paints, chalk) should be readily available. Allow students to share their artwork if they choose. Talk about the feelings behind the work.
CREATIVE WRITING: Writing stories or poems about perceptions and feelings provides students with a concrete means of self-expression.READING: Read aloud, or have the students read stories or books that talk about children or families dealing with conflict resolution, stressful or frightening situations.INTEGRATE
CURRICULUM: Teachers can take advantage of opportunities to introduce material related to the event into history, geography and math activities.
MIDDLE -SCHOOL ACTIVITIES Note: Peer reactions are especially significant in this age group. The student needs to feel that his/her fears are both appropriate and shared by others. Responses should be aimed at lessening tensions, anxieties and possible guilt feelings.
CLASSROOM DISCUSSION: Provide a neutral environment which supports each student's right to an opinion or feeling (all feelings are O.K.). Discourage put-downs of students who express unpopular ideas or those who express emotion. Ask Open-ended questions. Dr. David Chesluk, Child Psychiatrist, suggests asking: "What have you heard and what do you think about the war? What are you afraid of? What can you do about it?" Assist students in constructing a concrete plan for dealing with whatever is troubling them and reinforce any positive actions taken. As a school you may wish to organize teachers in a particular subject area (e.g. social studies) to share information and ideas for classroom discussion throughout the school.
TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE: Giving students opportunities to take an active role can channel their tension, anxiety and possible guilt feelings into putting energy towards a positive experience with others. Respond to suggestions which come from the student, sorting appropriateness for school, family or community (writing letters to the newspaper or to politicians, making a bulletin board or poster that express feelings are possible activities). Students may wish to research local, national, or international organizations that seem to believe in issues of interest to the student. Encourage student involvement with same age group activities geared toward resumption of routines.
DESIGN RELEVANT CURRICULUM: Integrate themes regarding world affairs, geography, and conflict resolution into current lessons or units. You may be able to include activities involving cultural issues as well; writing letters to government officials using the modes of controversial issue or persuasive styles to address feelings students may have regarding the event.
LUNCH BREAK ACTIVITIES: Organize open supervised rooms during breaks for Students to come and discuss their concerns with each other and an adult. You may wish to organize a lunch forum using student council members to assist in planning the event. A lunch forum must be organized with clear expectations of acceptable student behavior.COUNSELING: Students should be offered counseling services through school or community services. One should be flexible and sensitive to individual needs, especially with students who have families or friends affected the crisis.
HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVIES Most of the activities and interests of the adolescent are focused in his/her own age-group peers. They tend to be especially distressed by the disruption of their peer group activities and lack of access to full adult responsibilities in community efforts.
CLASSROOM DISCUSSION: Provide a neutral environment which supports each student's right to an opinion or feeling (all feelings are O.K.). Discourage put-downs of students who express unpopular ideas or those who express emotion. Ask Open-ended questions. Dr. David Chesluk, Child Psychiatrist, suggests asking: "What have you heard and what do you think about what happened? What are your concerns? What can you do about it?" Assist students in constructing a concrete plan for dealing with whatever is troubling them and reinforce any positive actions taken. As a school you may wish to organize teachers in a particular subject area (e.g. social studies) to share information and ideas for classroom discussion throughout the school.
TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE: Giving students opportunities to take an active role can channel their tension, anxiety and possible guilt feelings into putting energy towards a positive experience with others. Respond to suggestions which come from the student, sorting appropriateness for school, family or community (writing letters to the newspaper or to politicians) Encourage participation in the activities of the community which are consistent with school and have approval of parents. Encourage student involvement with same age group activities geared toward resumption of routines.
DESIGN RELEVENT CURRICULUM: Integrate themes regarding world affairs, geography, and conflict resolution into current lessons or units. You may be able to include activities involving cultural and religious issues as well; writing letters to government officials using the modes of controversial issue or persuasive styles to address feelings students may have regarding the event.
LUNCH BREAK ACTIVITIES: Organize open supervised rooms during breaks for students to come and discuss their concerns with each other and an adult. You may wish to organize a lunch forum using student council members to assist in planning the event. For the adolescent a forum. that involves a panel of community representatives who reflect the views of the community is an excellent activity. A lunch forum must be well organized with clear expectations of acceptable student behavior.
COUNSELING: Students should be offered counseling services through school or community services. One should be flexible and sensitive to individual needs, especially with students who have families or friends affected by the crisis.
IV. SUMMARY When we are exposed to traumatic events, our task as parents and teachers in comforting our children is continually changing. One day we are confronted with bombs exploding on television; the next, faces of injured people appear in our papers. As adults, these events are hard to understand and process; for our children they can be overwhelming and debilitating. It is important to recognize the signs of stress in children and have strategies and interventions planned to help them.In the midst of traumatic events children may show regressive behaviors such as a return to thumb sucking, bedwetting and clinging. They may also be more aggressive and show a lower frustration tolerance as they minor higher levels of stress and anger around them. Many young children play guns and repeat what they see on television in an effort to integrate it into their thinking. This is a time when adults can begin to help children understand the difference between fantasy and reality.The main tasks we face are to reassure children and students of their physical safety, give them relevant and accurate information that is understandable to them at their developmental level and to help them find ways to express their feelings. Here are some ideas to keep in mind that may help you to help your children deal frightening events.
RESOURCE: Dane Cevine
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