Dealing with Fear in Children

    All of us are afraid of something: spiders, dark, close spaces, heights, crowds, speaking in public, etc.  Yesterday, it was tornadoes and bad weather for my 8 and 6 year old grandchildren.  Last month, they were in a mobile home when a tornado went directly over them.  They were safe in the bathroom with their parents, but the trauma of it has taken a toll on their minds.  Fear has set in where it did not exist before. 
    Bri, the 8 year old, was always afraid of weather.  The storm caused her anxiety to increase.  Cayde, the 5 year old who knew no fear, has developed an intense fear of any slight rain storm.  How do you help them overcome those fears?  At least help them to remain calm, unless there is a real threat.
    With impending weather predicted for the afternoon and late night, my daughter came to stay with us because we live  in a house and have a storm shelter.  Every time it started to rain, Cayde would cry with such heart wrenching anguish, that it broke my heart.  Bri would pace, look out the window , and refuse to eat.  This went on all afternoon, even though it was just raining.  I would take Cayde to the door and let him see that it was only rain. He asked about what time it would be over.  We told him that by 10 everything would be past.  Big mistake!  Every few minutes, he would ask what time it was and count up to 10.  He knew he still had several hours.  We started telling him it was almost 10, even though it was only 6 o'clock.
    Danny had the radar pulled up on his computer and he showed Bri how to watch the weather system move toward the area.  He showed her how to know what was dangerous and what was just rain and where we were on the map.  Knowledge can help alleviate fear.
    Around 4, the radar showed that a line of severe weather was headed toward our area.  Danny made the call to head to the cellar.  The kids were suddenly relieved.  They had wanted to go stay all day in the cellar.  Bri loaded up everything she owned, including school books that she didn't want to work in earlier but said she might want to work in the cellar. Really!
    We were in the cellar for about an hour.  During that time, Danny showed the kids survival tips. Number 1 - How to use a compost toilet.  Number 2 - How to conserve toilet paper.  Number 3 - How to eat bugs for energy.  They laughed and enjoyed their time in the cellar.  It took their minds off what could be happening outside.  In the cellar, there were no windows and hardly any sound could be heard from the storm. 
    We had a good night.  The storm passed by a few miles down the road.  The kids slept in their bed all night.  Overcoming these fears will take a long time for these two, but as they learn to watch the weather and know when it is a good rain and when there is potential danger, they will become more at ease.
Blessing to you all,
Wanda from Deep South Homestead