Raising Smarter Children

Dear Readers,

This was to be the second of our 4 back to school success posts, but I’ve just finished surviving the devastation of Hurricane Ike.

So, next post will be number 2 in our back to school success series, and I thought this was too important a time not to write down these thoughts.

I’ve never been in a hurricane before and while visiting my sister in Texas, it happened.  Did it ever - and I pray it never happens again to anyone, anywhere.

Being from California, and knowing absolutely zero about hurricanes, I got a crash course in how they work, but more importantly, how people can bond together and help each other get through with no power, no water, no energy, gas and food.

Folks, my first thought when I heard this was coming is what does it mean?  What  will happen?  The kids that live in Texas are used to hurricanes, but this was very, very different.  I certainly had no idea what to expect.  It’s one thing to see things on T.V. and quite another to be in the middle of it when it’s happening. 

What I learned is that a tragedy can actually be time for some very good and powerful learning for your children. (and me too).

1.   You are your child’s model.  What you do in a crisis, will influence them forever.  Be calm and steady - if not for you, do it for the kids.  If you’re calm and prepared, your kids will be too.  Work together getting the house ready (if you don’t have to evacuate), shop together telling the kids how much easier it will be with lots of water, ice, canned items and the rest of food that you will need,  because most likely the power will go out.   

2.  Study hurricanes together as a family, again calmly.  Learn about how they work and why the sky may turn aqua green just after what looks like lightening.  Learning new things together helps children want to learn and builds their curiosity about other things too.

Have lots of games to play together when the power goes out, and a whole lot of flashlights.  When it’s really dark, everybody feels better with light.

The games will help your kids feel happier when you’re playing, and can calm them too.  Play every single game you can with them.  Read happy stories to your kids because it releases the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. 

3.  Make contingency plans since you can’t predict everything.  Insure your kids know what to do and that you will be there for them.  This helps your kids learn to think ahead when things are unknown.

4.  The neighbors here had one of those wind up radios from radio shack and they let us use it to get more information.  I highly recommend, after what I’ve just been through, to invest the few dollars and get one.  You don’t need any power - just wind it up.  It was so helpful.  Again, your kids will learn what they need during a crisis.   Information is one of your most powerful allies.

5.  When your kids are informed about what’s coming, they are far more likely to want to help you and each other and quickly learn the value of what it means to be a real family - stick together. 

6.  Answer their questions - all of them.  Again, be calm.  Let the kids know it’s O.K. to be afraid, but that you’re doing everything you can to prepare.  You’ve got plenty of warning time so you have a real opportunity to help your children help themselves and make amazingly good choices during a crisis.

7.  If they want to be right next to you when the hurricane hits, find that room with no outside walls and put the mattresses there, or make a game of jumping in the tub and putting the mattress over your heads before it hits. Try to lighten things up a bit for everyone.  Believe me, this goes a long way toward both teaching the kids what they need to know, and helping them laugh at the same time.

8.  Tell them why you need to fill your tubs with water, why to duct tape your windows and board them up.  Have them help you - they will feel much safer and more secure when you’re doing these things together. 

9.  Assume the very best of your kids - they will surprise you with their creativity and thoughts if you let them.  This is a time they can quickly learn kindness, humility and courage - all at the same time.

10.  When the hurricane is over, go outside, look around and thank God you’re all safe.  It may be a huge mess (it sure was here), but you’ll be surprised at how the neighborhood bonds together to help each other.

This is the time for your children to learn compassion for others too.  We heard that the first response teams needed food and water because they had none.  Remember these are the folks who are supposed to rescue others.  And they had no food or water.  So when the call went out to help, we gathered up all our extra water and food we could, and took it to them.  They were so happy and grateful.

Imagine how good your kids will feel helping the police or firefighters or even the national guard with simple things like water.  What does that teach them?  We’re a community and all in this together.

I learned a lot from this and pray you never have to experience anything like it, but if you do, some real good can come from it.

With gratitude,

Pat Wyman

If you like these ideas, please hit the comment button and share your thoughts.  Help others by clicking on the “share this” button and letting the social community know.  That’s what it’s really all about -sharing and caring.  I thank you for reading this and if you’ve been to our other site for back to school help and resources,  http://www.HowToLearn.com I thank you now for your patience because things are understandably delayed.

Warmly,

Pat Wyman

Tags: back to school, California, compassion, contingency plans, courage, creativity, curiosity, decisions, devastation, dopamine, evacuate, flashlights, food, games, gas, God, http://www.howtolearn.com, hurricane, Hurricane Ike, Ike, learning, neurotransmitter, Pat Wyman, play, pray, preparation, reading, role model, school success, sky, T.V., tragedy, values