Children have been impacted by seeing their homes and schools flooded.
Central Hawke’s Bay Parenting Support Services is sharing advice on how you can support your child through a traumatic event.
Traumatic events are sudden and unexpected. When they happen to us, we feel scared, distressed, shocked and overwhelmed. Our children feel 10 times worse. They see the damage surrounding them;
they feel your worry, your concern, your emotion. They hear words and half-sentences and connect them together to make sense of what has just happened.
As a parent, you might see your children’s behaviour and emotions change.
They might feel confused, anxious, angry, sad, worried, or maybe even guilty.
They might react different than they normally do. They might be quick to anger, withdrawn or restless or have sleeping problems. They may not want to be seperated from you or be able to do things they could do before. They might wet their bed, or have difficulty concentrating.
