How to help your kids handle anxiety from winter storm

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Parents and their children went through a lot during Texas' devastating winter storm last month.

Millions of residents dealt with freezing homes, no water and, for many people, the aftermath of busted pipes is still causing major headaches.

RELATED: Residents still without water at SW Houston apartment complex

Children also suffered through it and watched their parents struggle with it. Two weeks later, one Houston life coach tells ABC13 that it's important to make sure that the stress and anxiety doesn't carry over to our kids.

"If a child has experienced it, absolutely you talk about it," said Arlene Schneider, a certified life coach in Houston. "Don't minimize it and don't exaggerate it either because that feeds into their anxiety."

Schneider said it's important to acknowledge and validate their feelings and let them know everything is going to be OK.

Next, she said gauge the alert level in your home.

"If everybody is anxious and angry, the alert level is going to be back on red, and the kids won't be able to function," said Schneider. "They're not going to be able to sleep, they are going to be anxious, they are not going to be able to focus on school.

Lastly, her advice is to leave anger out of the conversation.

"Stay away, as much as possible (and) I know this is difficult, from blame and anger, because the children feed into that and they get angry and they want to blame somebody and then everybody's out of control," said Schneider.

Schneider told ABC13 that parents should look for opportunities to turn the anxiety, pressure and stress into preparation.

"Let's learn how to get a box and put in supplies for next time," said Schneider. "Look at the opportunities that this presents so we can look forward and not stay in the kind of awful moments that people are having."

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