Weather Woes

Coming soon: Recently, there were major rain events in the area where I live. These caused flash flooding and disrupted people’s travel, property and businesses. Weather certainly can be something to fear and must be taken seriously. Last night’s storms made me think of how worry and concern with regards to weather is a an expected response for people. The weather event is producing extreme conditions which they must cope with in the moment, and for many of us, that is scary. With that fully acknowledged, the supportive work here is shifting from a focus of in the moment worry, concern and anxiety about a problematic weather event to kids who experience chronic weather worry (despite conditions being pleasant or uneventful).

For many kids, weather is a chronic worry despite what is happening outside. You may know a youth who has a great deal of discomfort with any weather pattern change outside of the most palatable of sunny and 70 (or whatever it is they consider the normal weather of the area). If you have wondered about this for your own child, a few things you may have noticed could include:

• A child might ask you to check the weather app or radar over and over.

• If they have their own phone they could be checking it themselves repetitively.

• They may want to stay home if there is a line of showers in the forecast

• The child or adolescent may seek to sleep in a different area such as the lower level

• No amount of reassurance seems to be enough and often frustration arises for the adults trying to navigate weather worries.

It is these types of scenarios that can be especially hard for parents to navigate. Extreme weather events may not happen often, but they do happen. How do you help the youth keep perspective, be prepared as needed but not interfere with their day to day when its not needed?

Check back next week with weather woes response ideas that can help your child tolerate the weather woes.