Helping Children Deal with Thunderstorms

For small children, coping with thunderstorms can be a frightening experience. While some kids find such storms exciting and interesting, many others are scared by the loud noises, bright flashes and stories of people hit by lightning. It also doesn’t help that they may see their parents running around the house preparing for tornadoes or some other kind of emergency. While you may understand the necessity for such precautions, it’s a good idea to sit your children down and explain the situation to alleviate their fears.

TwoKidsandaCoupon.com has some tips for how best to discuss storms with your kids:

• Go over evacuation routes: Everyone in your family should know where to go in the event of an emergency.

• Keep them in the loop: Without sounding too alarmist, explain the threat of the storm and the precautions you’ll be taking as the head of the family.

• Show them how to turn off utilities: For older children, it is a good idea to show them how to shut off the gas if such action is required, though this should always be done by adults if they are present.

For more information on helping children cope with thunderstorms, we recommend FullTimeNanny.com, which has assembled a series of articles on the subject.

With the thunderstorm and tornado season in full swing, it’s a good idea to consult with an Atlanta alarm company about having a residential fire alarm system installed in your home. This can keep you and your family safe in the event of a fire caused by lightning strikes and downed power lines. Contact American Alarm at (770) 645-0061 for more information.