Guidelines on how to deal with children during war
Our people and throughout its history with the Zionist occupation have extensive experience in dealing with difficult events and crisis times, especially dealing with children, those with whom it requires a special skill from parents in time of disasters and wars, here is a group Tips and tips to deal with them during this period:
First: it is normal to secure the child and as a whole family from the place of the painful event (at risk as bombing) to a safer place inside the house.
Second: Psychological Release, listen to the child well and let him talk simply about what he has seen, what he expects and what fear he has, with the importance of following his actions and questions he poses, the words he uses and the actions of all Indicate What a child thinks and feels, as well as the information he wishes to have.
Third: don’t interrupt the child while talking, let him go and fire the fear, keep talking to him until he finishes his talk and then answer his questions with confidence, honesty and simplicity.
Fourth: children under the age of two will not be able to " understand " what is happening in their surroundings, but surely they are worried and stressed in their surroundings, so it is important that we maintain the routine of daily life " as much as possible while children of age 3-5 years they mix facts with imagination, so don’t give them more information than they ask, but help them feel safe and that they are not in danger, help them by many means they have been doing painting activities and movement activity through which they express their feelings like Acting, painting and light play, pay attention to the children not being exposed to the terrifying images in the media and the internet, dedicated a room for you to follow the news, it is useful to engage children in simple fun activities and play with them it helps them feel With Safety.
Dear Father dear mother, it is very important that we all realize that we have to be a model of toughness and endurance in a difficult time, and we may not be ready to carry out many activities with children at the same moment, but to remember that We can do it if we can, and the support that the child receives from parents, friends and relatives in difficult circumstances protects him from psychological stress and no future complications.
We also have to remember these things:
A child can’t understand all the events going on around him, he might think he’s the reason for things.
Not all children can express their fear by talking, but fear can be noticed by their behavior.
Every change in the child’s environment can cause stress and cause fear for the child.
When a child sees his father and his mother scared, he is also afraid, children are scared and afraid.
What can we do?
It is important to explain to the child what is going on around him, if his big brother goes and asks us about him, we have to tell him where he went, and he will come back later… and so.
If we ask about his father and why he is sad, we better tell him that his father is sad because of his work. Then the child’s guilt and fear can go away.
We have to answer the child’s questions simply and honest, and don’t leave him in a situation where he doesn’t understand what’s going on around him.
Not all children can express their feelings, but as a bar, we can give the child the opportunity to tell us how he feels and fears.
It is important that if a child feels that others make fun of him, and be afraid of his fears, he will not share his feelings in the future, and that’s how we have affected the child and vice versa.
Here are some skills:
Questions that help you for example:
Tell me what scares you?
Why are you scared? Talk to me I want to help
Is there something I can do for you?
Are there things you don’t understand? I’ll explain things you don’t understand, and I’ll be happy.
First: children under the age of:
Use Photos from magazines, and introduce them to different summer clothes, for example, fruit or transportation as you have.
Encourage your child to paint what he wants if you have colors and paper, and comment their drawings in a prominent place at home.
Encourage your little one to play with their toys at home, and don’t hesitate to share your child’s play.
Comment a map in a clear place if it is available, and tag on the website of Palestine for example.
Teach your child the feel of things from different things available at home, clothes, kitchen appliances, etc
Have your child put his hand on paper, draw around, cut and hang inside the house repeat the process with his foot.
Put a rope on the ground and teach him to jump over it.
Give your baby some safe kitchen tools like a large plastic bowl, plastic cups, spoons, refinery, and make them play it alone, and watch it all the time.
Sing with your child his favorite song, make him listen to it, repeat it with encourage him to sing.
Read stories for children, help him choose what he wishes if they are available at home and participate in conversations and activities.
Second. Children from 3 TO 6 years old:
Write a message for your child to choose someone who would like to send him a message, and ask him to tell you what he wants to tell him, and write it. Read the letter again to him after it is done, explain to him that the letters are placed in envelope, and write the address. A message can be written daily, kept and sent after the war!
He can also choose to “write” (the previous way itself) about an important situation that happened that day, and to be assembled as his diary.
Encourage your child to draw, tell you the story of the drawing after it is done, write his story, and read it again to him.
Get involved with your child in drawing something, teach him colors, and after finishing ask him about the colors in your surroundings.
Teach your child to prepare, use similar sets (for example spoons), share the count process, and teach him the bigger, smaller, more and less.
Use your child’s small toys (cars, animals, or animals), hide them in safe places scattered in the house, make him go out on a treasure hunt, search and collect them.
Make Multiple Cards with different drawings (Rose, ball, car… etc), make another copy of it, put it in front of the children, make sure to be upside down, and ask the children to choose similar. This game also strengthens memory and can be used with two kids, provide cards when your child gets used to the game.
Put multiple things in front of your child, ask him to study them carefully, then ask him to close his eyes, remove one of these things, and ask him to remember the missing thing.
Play play; have your child close his eyes, make sounds, and make him try to realize what they are, use things at home like keys, Coins, and spoon sound on a metal surface.
Third. Children from 7 to 11 years old:
“What’s bigger”: make your child close his eyes, and try to imagine what will be the future of other children (friends, relatives) after 15 years? Encourage him with questions like where will he stay? What did he do? What are his kids names?
You can change the subject, for example imagine himself in the future, or imagine his parents… and so on.
This is a game that is suitable for the time of the power outage, and children love it for intimate with parents, it can light a candle, and watch the movement of children near it.
Encourage your child to write his list of happiness, to mention the 5 most important happy events in his life, encourage him to talk about it, and to be seen in difficult times.
Ask your children to choose a particular character, and therefore they think of the name of a human, animal, plant, inanimate, State, start with this letter, and who ends first is the winner! The whole family can participate in this activity.
Encourage your child to perform certain tasks at home, and provide them when they are successfully implemented, that will enhance their self-confidence and self-esteem.
Read stories for children, help him choose what he wants if they are available at home and share conversations and activities.
Give your child room for individual or group play in safe places, and try to maintain as much as possible their daily routine.