Coming out of the unfortunate anniversary of the 2018 Camp Fire, many Paradise locals may have found themselves reliving the trauma experienced during the disaster that ravaged our community. While children are resilient and may seem to have forgotten the events of last November, the emotions they carried that day and the days following are still with them subconsciously. Not just their own world, but the entire world as they knew it changed when they were forced to leave their homes. Even if their family has since moved back to Paradise to rebuild their home or move back into those spared by the fire, the day-to-day routine that helped them make sense of their surroundings was likely one of their biggest senses of security and well-being.
Children need to know what to expect next, but at a time like this, when so much is still in repair, their mental and emotional healing requires more than a a nurturing home and family or the relocation back to the town they knew, it requires a familiar routine. Before looking into how routines help children cope with trauma, let’s look at what trauma is and what its impacts look like.
Childhood Trauma and Its Effects
Trauma is an emotional response to a threat set on by an intense situation or event. The harm that a child experiences could be real or perceived, physical or emotional, and could threaten either the child themselves or someone close to them.
Again, children are resilient. Some stress, which we will call “good stress,” is actually beneficial to their brains, allowing them to develop new skills. This kind of beneficial stress includes nervousness when leaving their parent or guardian to attend school, riding a bike without training wheels for the first time, even jumping in the pool. These emotions are “stress,” but they instill confidence that makes room for the child to grow.
Trauma occurs when an experience of stress overwhelms the child’s ability to cope, triggering their “fight or flight” response. These emotions, unlike good stress, have bodily effects such as high blood pressure and increased heart rate, which changes how their brain perceives and responds to the world. This kind of trauma can have long-lasting effects, especially if it goes unrecognized.
Routine as a Coping Mechanism
Consistency in a child’s routine after a traumatic event, especially if they are exhibiting signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, gives them a sense of predictability. Predictability then becomes stability and security for the child when they know what to expect and what comes next in a daily routine.
You can (and should) establish routines at home. Some examples of this include eating meals at the same time each day or planning regular family activities on the same day each week, etc. If you are a working parent with little free time, you can still re-instate routine in your children by allowing them to attend school again.
If you have very young children who do not yet attend school enrolling them in preschool, even for a few days a week, can give them something to depend on and look forward to. Following classroom rules can be difficult for children of all ages who have experienced trauma, so be sure to talk with your provider about trauma-sensitivity. Many preschools require teachers to have Early Childhood Education and Child Psychology training, which could be an imperative support system to helping your child rediscover a positive self-identity.