Plus, De-stressing with pets, DIY music and art classes, good news for a change
|  | Sunday, September 27, 2020 | | | | |
 | PHOTOGRAPH BY NOAH BERGER, AP, SHUTTERSTOCK
| | By Rachel Buchholz, KIDS AND FAMILY Editor in Chief
Growing up in Oklahoma and Texas, I faced plenty of tornados. And though my family never had a basement or cellar to huddle in once the sirens started blaring, we could always rely on the kindness of our neighbors to provide us shelter.
In my memory, these gatherings were quite festive. The kids would play while the adults joked around. Snacks were provided, and one time I even remember pizza showing up.
Of course as an adult, I understand how unreliable a child’s memory can be. But the fact that I remember these traumatic weather events as no big deal says something about how the grown-ups in my life treated them. A tornado with the power to rip our home from its foundation was violently twisting nearby. But my parents and their friends remained calm.
This summer children have been exposed to some horrific natural disasters. Communities throughout the American West have been ravaged by wildfires that have destroyed more than 5 million acres this year; the hurricane season has been so strong that scientists ran out of the predetermined list of names for 2020. But even kids who aren’t directly affected by such events can have trouble coping with the magnitude, as this Nat Geo article reports. (Above, a wildfire lights up Bidwell Bar Bridge in Oroville, California.)
“Oftentimes for kids, a weather event they aren’t experiencing physically is internalized personally as a traumatic event,” says psychologist Mindy Wallpe. That can lead to anxiety when children worry about their own safety or feel a loss of control.
One way to stave off those confusing feelings is to explain the science behind some of the weather events that might be on their minds. “Try to demystify what’s happening,” says hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross. (Here are some kid-friendly explainers on hurricanes, tornadoes, and other scary situations; for a deeper dive, older children can read books like Extreme Weather; younger ones can check out the Little Kids First Big Book of Weather.)
Giving children back their sense of control can also help them feel less scared. Parents can work with them to develop a plan for whatever weather event might happen in their area; families can also think about ways they can help people affected by the natural disaster. (These volunteer ideas are things you can do safely from home.)
“Trust in your ability to know what [your children] need in that moment,” Wallpe says. “You know your child best.” Of course, snacks and pizza always help too.
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 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY SHANNON HIBBERD, NG STAFF | | | |
 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY SKYLER KARDELL | |
Not all bad news: Change up the discussion over the family table by sharing a few bright stories from recent days: 1) While some animal habitats are shrinking, the gray heron (above) is venturing to new lands, with one of the tall birds spotted for the first time in the contiguous United States. 2) They did their time as circus elephants. Now, 30 former circus elephants will be heading to a Florida conservation center to live out their days.
Fur power: If your family has a dog, cat, or even a fish, congrats: You’re probably helping everyone de-stress! Research has shown that interacting with animals can decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-inducing hormone) and lower blood pressure. So who’s to say simply watching animals isn’t good for you as well? Check out these baby animal shorts in DisneyNOW, showing everything from elephants to tigers to meerkats. (The Walt Disney Company is majority owner of National Geographic Partners.)
More family discussion: Where did dogs come from? Their ancestors were wolves—but friendly, playful wolves, new research shows. Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors sought out wild canines with a frisky streak that lives on in modern dogs—particularly herding and hunting breeds.
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| TRY THIS: BOREDOM BUSTERS FOR KIDS | |
 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHEW RAKOLA | | | |
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