Children may feel a variety of emotions after a natural disaster, such as fear, confusion, anxiety, guilt, and sadness. Some children may not openly talk about their feelings during this time, but that does not necessarily mean they are not thinking about it. When your child does share her feelings with you, provide empathy, acknowledgment, and validation.

In an effort to comfort their child, some parents may inadvertently minimize their child's feelings by saying things like "You have nothing to be scared of." A better alternative is to empathize with her feelings first and then offer reassurance. One example is: "I can understand why you would be scared that we might have a big earthquake. I want you to know that there is only a very small chance that an earthquake would happen here. And if something happens, we have a plan to keep us safe."