Weather the Storms

We know that many of you are facing the storm.

We just want to remind you that you are not alone.

At Bri’s Counseling Corner, Brianna has provided ways to help reduce your child’s stress and anxiety around storms.

Include your child in hurricane prep

Bring them to the store with you and let them help pick supplies

Give your child choices as you buy items (“Should we buy this one or that one?”). This provides a healthy level of control.

Make a game out of preparing. With young children you could pretend to be meteorologists or use other pretend play to make preparations silly and fun.

Do NOT overwhelm them with too much information or adult details they do not need (this will increase anxiety!). Just provide basic, age-appropriate information as to what is happening. (And remember, kids are always listening to your adult conversations!)

Proactively create a cozy, safe place in your home (that is physically and emotionally safe) to be a retreat in case of bad weather. Let them pick favorite snacks, blankets, stuffies, coloring activities, and games to make the space their own. This will help them look forward to being in that space, even in the midst of a potentially scary situation, and will help calm their nervous systems.

Try not to minimize your child’s feelings. Validate how your child is feeling and then provide truthful reassurance (don’t make promises that are not 100% guaranteed.)

Be mindful of your own anxiety and self-regulate as needed, so that you can emotionally available for your child.

We are asking God to protect you and give you peace in the midst of the storm.

As we go through the storm, here is a video that we hope will encourage your heart.  

                                                                                                           

As you are able, we want to encourage you to be “Nathaniel’s Neighbor” and check in with a VIP family to see if you can encourage or help them in any way.

Please let us know how we can pray for you.  We will be checking in on social media on our Nathaniel’s Hope Facebook page.

Let us know how we can pray for you here!