Natural disasters, family changes such as divorce, death, serious injury, or community violence can be traumatic for both children and adults. Everyone needs time to process the traumatic events. Children often experience disasters differently than adults and they need to have developmentally appropriate explanations of them.

Children can experience the effects of disasters months and years after the events. Some will express the effects outwardly through behaviors. Others will focus internally on their own thoughts and emotions. Keep in mind that neither response is preferable to the other, and both can have negative effects on a child’s development.

Parents and other trusted adults need to be prepared to address questions and responses to the disaster. It is okay to struggle to figure out what to say when a disaster occurs. Finding the appropriate words when children are not coping well is also challenging. Here are some things you can do to help a child’s sense of well-being from Dr. Wiles and Dr. Kiss of K-State Research and Extension:

• Reassure the child that you are still together, and that you will be there to help for as long as you can.
• Return to pre-disaster routines to the extent possible. This helps children feel more secure and safe.
• Make sure you are taking care of yourself. It can be difficult to care for your own child when you are not coping well.
• Talk with your child about your feelings about the disaster. When appropriate let them know about plans for recovery.
• Let children know that experiencing intense and unpredictable responses to disastrous events is natural and normal. Although the behaviors are difficult to manage, it is important to keep patient and mindful. Validating their sometimes hard to understand feelings of anger and sadness provides children with meaningful support.
• When your role allows, hold and comfort the child. There is no substitute for the warmth, protection, and feeling of safety experienced in the arms of loved ones.
• Create an emergency plan, and let your children know that you have a plan in case the situation ever happens again. Letting children help plan for emergencies can reduce anxiety they feel about the uncertainty of a future disaster.
• When possible, help others who are coping with disasters. Volunteer, provide childcare to volunteers, send food, encouraging letters, and toys or other items to help other families recovering from a disaster.
• Encourage children to draw, write, or tell stories about their experiences.

Children and adults experience and adjust to disasters in a variety of ways. It is up to everyone in a community to recognize negative effects, help children cope with disasters, and take care of children and themselves in the aftermath of traumatic events. While the passage of time can help, there is no substitute for patient, caring, honest, and supportive adults helping children who are recovering from traumatic events in their lives.

For more information on Youth Development or 4-H, contact Jennifer K. Terrell, District 4-H Youth Development Agent – Southwind Extension District at 620-223-3720 or [email protected].

Left to right: Brady Hurt, Carly Dreher, Tate Crystal, Kyser Nemecek, Emery Yoho, Reegan McDaniel, Jade Parrish, Carla Nemecek

A team of 4-H members from southeast Kansas has won the national livestock judging title, scoring a four-point win over Oklahoma at the Western National 4-H Roundup in Denver.

The Southwind Extension District team tallied 2,546 points in contests that involved judging cattle, goats, sheep, swine and oral reasons. Kyser Nemecek and Reegan McDaniel led the team individually, scoring 864 and 850 points for second and fifth place, respectively.

Oklahoma was the national runner-up with 2,542 points, and Texas was third at 2,536. Twenty-six teams and ninety-seven youth from across the US were entered in the national competition. The Kansas 4-H team placed second in goat, sheep and swine judging; and third in cattle and reasons. Its’ combined total, however, was good enough for the overall team title.

In addition to Nemecek (Iola) and McDaniel (Fort Scott), team members include Tate Crystal (Fort Scott) and Emery Yoho (Yates Center).

The team continues to be coached by Carla Nemecek. Brady Hurt and Carly Dreher, former members of the Southwind livestock team and Jade Parrish a current Kansas State University student served as assistant coaches for the contest.

The Southwind team had previously won the Kansas state championship in 4-H livestock judging. The win at the Western National 4-H Roundup qualifies them for an opportunity to travel to Scotland and England this summer, June 18 – July 3, 2024.

The contests are only a small piece of the international trip that will include agriculture seminars and opportunities to enhance leadership skills through interaction with the citizens of the UK and Ireland. The trip is limited to only nine American teams each year, and these Southeast Kansas youth will be the third team from the Southwind District in 19 years to earn the honor. In 2019 the Southwind team of Jillian Keller, Haydon Schaaf, Brody Nemecek and Clay Brillhart made the trip over the pond, and in 2005 a Neosho County 4-H team – Ryan Page, Trent Page, Clem Neely and Bailey Shaw were able to participate in the Scotland contest.

Although exciting, this opportunity comes with a price tag of about $6500 per person to attend. Fundraising efforts will soon be underway to send these youth on an international trip of a lifetime. Should you be interested in investing in this unique 4-H opportunity, please contact the Southwind Extension District at 620.365.2242.