Tsunami and other disasters I just sent an interesting article by our beloved collaborator, Argentine writer Rolando Martin
in which he reflects on the disgrace that they are living in Japan. I strongly recommend reading and reflection. Greetings to all / as.
Tsunami and other disasters
In situations such as that Japan is experiencing, it is difficult to do what they are doing with some success: keep a lid on emotions and can think clearly. Let's try it, although that hand, in the case of our region and our country in particular, deeply rooted beliefs about the "inhuman" to control the emotions and the "healthy" as they express it. could say that for us, the best and first lesson is that: when we have a common problem, when survival is at risk, that is when most urgently enforce rules and hold the individual pulses of any type. A song from the seventies said, "you have to get it all out, as the spring ..." But when you take everything out, also comes the winter, autumn and summer and all kinds of avatars. When Nature - including humans - "takes everything out", they, for example, these things. So - especially in the midst of serious crisis - just not right.
An important point to consider is also the feeling of helplessness and often absurd that invade humans in such situations: "Why? Why now? Why me? These are questions that, raised or not, we tend to distress. And for which, in general there is no response, make it easy. So many times, we appeal to magic or culpable explanations, such as "Nature takes revenge on our abuse", etc.. In my opinion, that kind of attitude does not help, though it may go into remission. Because there were times on Earth, where men still had not influenced her, and then living beings suffered glaciation, flooding, loss of celestial objects, tsunamis ... To our knowledge, cuandodesparecieron dinosaurs or the Mayan civilization, there was no industry or human contamination ... Therefore, without neglecting the need to cultivate a respectful attitude common house , no good - as usual - go to extremes ... And yes, instead, adopt a position that could be called scientific modestly.
Another lesson to take in these cases is the importance of developing a culture of prevention and spirit organized and disciplined, not only for disasters of this magnitude. We should know that although it is usually possible to calculate all the effects - intended and unintended - of any event, we can reasonably anticipate many of them and prepare better. As protocols and survival backpacks that have the Japanese and other peoples, aware of their vulnerable geographic condition. That they can not prevent earthquakes (and other disasters), does not mean that we can minimize their costs, and not a little.
Regarding how to deal with children, there are - as usual - two strategies: short-term and long term. The first is to provide some basic explanations, not accentuate the grim and not exposing too much to traumatic images. And above all, to assure that, in principle, we're safe, but anyway, their parents and other adults are always available to care for them, guide them and address their questions. Acting, of course, so that they can believe.
For long-term, highly desirable through processes that formal and informal education, help them develop their sense of resilience . That is, the ability to cope with firmness and flexibility adversity, without breaking, but not too hard to keep, because sometimes it takes
last first. Invulnerable believe is as dysfunctional as its opposite, emotional incontinence, overflow and hysteria. And be resilient not only resist, but resist and learn.
Adequate resilience education includes what is said in the opening paragraphs, although dosage according to the developmental stage of children. It's good to discover that in life there are things whose causes are not known with precision, but also can deal with the consequences, as with many diseases. And these natural phenomena that affect us could well be understood metaphorically as "diseases of the planet, some of which we understand and we can prevent others not. But almost always, you can take care
Finally, an anecdote that I heard during my visit to London, which I think expresses very well the previous ideas: during the bombing civilians suffered during the war, among the many strategies that were adopted, there was one that was in place "instructional or motivational messages" on billboards aimed at ordinary citizens and especially the members of Civil Defence: a of them said "when you feel weak in the knees, kneel and pray. Then get up and resume your work. "
Mr. Rolando Martin is National Normal and Master degree in clinical psychology and education. Completed graduate studies in Counseling Family. Therapist-Individual and Family Counselor. Capacitadordocenteenáreasrelacionadascon ConvivenciaEscolar, Citizenship Education and School-Family Relationship. He was a columnist
permanent
www.educared.org.ar / entrepadres . Author of "School today: towards a Culture of Care" Geem, 1997, "School and Family: a necessary alliance," Die, 2003, "Care and Education", Bonum, 2006 and "The communication with parents," Die , 2007.
