The truth behind meltdowns is that we cannot avoid them. Why? We all have plans, including our children. We all react to when plans don’t go our way. However, the younger the child, the less established their cognitive development, their nervous system is immature, and they either not yet learned coping and regulation strategies or have not had enough practice to put them into play during times of need. It’s important for parents to recognize what psychological events that happen when our children have a meltdown, so that we can show up for them more empathetically, and geared with some tools to help both in the moment and afterwards.

In light of the recent fires, we want to give special attention to families who have experienced loss. Although most affected areas are not yet able to return to their homes to assess the damage, we wanted to provide comprehensive tips about how to prepare your child after the wildfires and how your child may react as they begin to cope with the gravity of the situation, in which may be traumatic for them