Talking to Children about Wildfires

The Colorado wildfires are at center stage right now with the continuous news reporting, the topic of most conversations, the hazy skies and the unmistakable smell of smoke in the air. All of these things can become very frightening to young children and there are bound to be questions that arise.

How can we talk to our youngsters about what is happening but doing so without frightening them? To get the conversation rolling, ask them if they have questions or if they are worried or scared.

 If they do have questions, first make sure to reassure them that you will keep them safe. Be honest in your answers and use words your children understand and at their developmental level.  In most cases the wildfires are far from your home, so explain this to them and let them know that they are safe. If, however, you are closer to the fires and there may be a chance of evacuation, reassure them that you are well prepared and that you will keep your family safe.

Use this movement as a teachable moment. Talk to them about your emergency evacuation plan so that they feel prepared as well. You can do this even if you are not close to the fires to practice fire safety at your own home. Feeling prepared and informed will help ease your child’s mind.

Help them express themselves in ways that they feel most comfortable. For example, drawing pictures, writing stories and role playing with toys can help the children to work out a stressful or confusing situation and to feel comforted.

Also, letting children feel like they can be helpful can also reassure them in a stressful time. Gather needed supplies and donate them or have them create a thank you card for firemen helping to put the fires out.  Being able to help can help children to feel hopeful .

Times like these can be stressful and scary for everyone, not just children, so make sure that you are calm, honest, consistent and supportive when talking with your children. Children are resilient and are more often just curious but by creating an environment they feel safe to talk about such things and cope with stressful situations, we can help them to create coping skills that last a lifetime.