How to Help Kids Process Trauma and Feel Safe After a Disaster

The PedsDocTalk Podcast

Dr. Mona Amin

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Kids & Family, Parenting

5 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 12 March 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How can parents create an emotionally safe space for their child when their home is no longer secure? Environmental crises like the LA fires have displaced families, leaving parents navigating uncertainty while trying to comfort their children. Today, I’m joined by fellow pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp, who experienced the loss of his own home, to discuss how we can support children in processing trauma and building resilience after life-altering events. We discuss: How parents can support children through difficult experiences by acknowledging their emotions, using age-appropriate language, and allowing them to express their fears and grief in a safe environment. That acknowledging emotions and using age-appropriate language can help children express fears and grief in a safe environment How to help them regain a sense of control and security after traumatic events To connect with Dr. Harvey follow him on Instagram @happiest_baby and check out all his resources on https://www.happiestbaby.com and purchase his best-selling book The Happiest Baby on the Block We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you! Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and subscribe to PedsDocTalk. 00:00:00 The Emotional Impact of Natural Disasters on Kids 00:01:05 Understanding the Grief of Losing a Home 00:03:06 Navigating Loss as a Pediatrician, Parent, and Community Member 00:05:46 What Helps (and Hurts) When Supporting Someone After a Disaster 00:09:27 Talking to Kids About Natural Disasters Without Creating Fear 00:12:05 The Power of Emotional Validation in Parenting 00:17:19 Helping Kids Cope with the Aftermath of Trauma 00:22:51 Encouraging Kids to Be Helpers and Build Resilience 00:26:22 Teaching Kids About Environmental Stewardship 00:33:55 Final Thoughts: Creating Connection Through Loss We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	And for a lot of the kids and the fires and in these other natural disasters, it's like,
0:06.0	now I'm vulnerable because I saw your face, mommy and daddy. I saw the fear on your face.
0:13.0	And if you're afraid, how do you think that makes me feel? And again, it's not that parents are going to be perfect.
0:18.0	You are allowed to have your feelings. You try not to
0:22.0	act out too much in front of your kids, right? You do want to keep it together if you can,
0:26.8	but you can also turn lemons into lemonade. And when it does happen, you could say, whoa,
0:32.7	you, you were watching, Mommy, and that looks scary to you. I saw your face got sad and my face was really
0:38.3	scared and you can turn it into something because if you talk about it, you can you can gain mastery
0:45.0	over it. Welcome to the show. It's me, Dr. Mona, your trusted pediatrician, confidant,
0:50.4	and mom friend here to support you through every twist and turn of parenting. You're
0:54.4	listening to the Pete's Doc Talk podcast where I host honest conversations that empower your
0:59.0	parenting journey. Whether this is your first episode or you're a long-time listener, I promise
1:03.9	you'll get plenty of insights. You want to know the worst thing you can say to someone who
1:08.8	just lost their home. At least it was just stuff because
1:13.3	to them it was everything. Their home wasn't just walls. It was memory, safety, stability. And when
1:19.1	it's gone in an instant, the grief is deep. Today we're talking about what actually helps
1:24.6	when someone is navigating devastating loss, even if it's the loss of things.
1:30.3	Today I'm speaking with Dr. Harvey Carp, a pediatrician, founder of Happiest Baby, aka
1:35.3	the SnooC creator and parenting expert who recently lost his home and community in the California wildfires.
1:41.3	He's here to share not only his personal experience, but also his
1:44.7	expertise in helping families as a pediatrician in that community and helping children process
1:49.7	loss, whether from natural disasters or other life-altering events. If you've ever found yourself
	...

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