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By: School Search Solutions
Date: 11.01.12 | Category: Favorite Posts

Turning a Natural Disaster into an Educational Opportunity for your Children

The hurricane has inconvenienced everyone and caused considerable damage to many. Kids have been out of school, parents out of work. When travel has been possible it has been difficult at a minimum, and has been a nightmare for many. Kids are stir crazy and haven’t had access to TV at a time when their parents most need them occupied.
Sandy has made everyone irritable, but there are other ways to look at it.

Many of us believe we can control our environment. Kids want a toy and get it for their birthdays or the holidays. After an admittedly fraught experience, kids generally end up in appropriate schools. Life typically is very predictable until something goes awry. For many families this may not happen until their kids apply to college and don’t get in to the one of their choosing. In other cases, families may have to move and children may have to change schools abruptly, either because of a job change or a loss of economic standing. When kids graduate from college they may not be able to get jobs they feel they are qualified for – or any jobs. And in some cases they may have to relocate to make a living.

A hurricane or natural disaster gives parents an opportunity to talk to their children about adversity, about how to function and make good decisions under pressure. It is good for kids to learn that life doesn’t always go as planned but that one can make the best of difficult circumstances and carry on.

There are a lot of things that schools teach very well, but the need for real life skills does not arise often enough to be a focus. Parents who calmly convey to their children that families need to work together to develop and carry out solutions, and teach their children that they can survive and achieve their life goals even if the path isn’t straight, can make a huge impact on their children’s long term comfort with circumstances they can’t control.

 

Elizabeth Perelstein
Chair
The School Choice Group: