Supporting Children After Nashville's Ice Storm

Helping Kids Process Uncertainty, Restore Safety, and Find Steady Ground

As a Nashville native and Founder of Child and Family Therapy Collective, it breaks my heart that our town is struggling. I find myself writing these letters to our community in moments of distress or suffering—times when I also reach for community. This week, we are cold and tired. Yet somehow, I have full faith that our community will pull together to continue helping one another.

This week's ice storm, Fern, —the largest since 1994—and widespread power outages disrupted daily life across Nashville and surrounding communities. Schools closed, routines changed abruptly, homes went dark and cold, and families faced uncertainty that extended far beyond the weather itself. As I write, about 100,000 families in our town are still without power. This storm was destructive. Visually, Nashville already looks different. Our trees are broken, and in some areas it will take weeks, more likely months, to recover from the damage.

For many children, experiences like this can feel unsettling—even if they were physically safe the entire time. For parents, it can be scary to face uncertainty about where your family will sleep, how you will keep children warm, or where your next warm meal will come from. This storm has humbled so many of us. Life stopped, and we were all forced to simplify and come together.

In the aftermath, it is important to restore a sense of safety with thoughtful, evidence-based approaches. Below you will find ways to talk with children after unpredictable events, support emotional recovery, and reduce the likelihood that fear lingers long after the storm has passed.

Talking to Children About the Storm and Power Outages

Children don't need every detail—they need clarity, reassurance, and emotional containment. One of the most helpful approaches comes from Psychological First Aid.

Psychological First Aid is similar to medical first aid in that it offers immediate support after a stressful event. It helps calm the nervous system, restore a sense of safety, and support healthy processing—without pathologizing normal stress reactions. The goal is to:

• Neutralize fear

• Reinforce safety

• Prevent negative or catastrophic interpretations of the event

To apply this principle after the ice storm, simple, calm language is often best:

"The storm caused ice and power outages. It was unexpected and uncomfortable, but helpers were working the whole time. We're safe now, and people are still helping our community recover."

Avoid minimizing ("It wasn't a big deal") or over-involving children in adult stress. Instead, aim for neutral-to-steady explanations paired with warmth and presence.

Acknowledging What Was Hard—Without Creating Fear

It's important to name difficulties honestly:

• Being cold

• Losing power

• Hearing loud ice or tree damage

• Seeing adults worried

• Living in a hotel or another person's home

At the same time, we want to help children's brains integrate the experience without labeling it as traumatic. We recommend balancing acknowledgment with "glimmers"—moments of safety, care, and connection—without slipping into toxic positivity.

Examples of glimmers you can name:

• Utility workers coming from across the region to restore power

• Neighbors checking on neighbors and being in community together

• Families sharing warmth, food, or rides

• Community resources opening quickly to help

• Hotels offering discounts to families without power

All of this helps children store the memory as: "Something hard happened—and people helped."

Recognizing Post-Storm Anxiety in Children

Children often process big events after life returns to normal. Signs of post-storm worry may include:

• Repetitive questions ("Is it going to snow again?")

• Increased clinginess or separation difficulty

• Sleep disruption or new bedtime fears

• Irritability, emotional outbursts, or withdrawal

• Physical complaints like stomachaches or new avoidance of enjoyable activities

Repetitive questioning is especially common. Rather than a need for new information, it's often a child seeking certainty and regulation.

Helping Children Tolerate Uncertainty (Without Over-Reassuring)

It's tempting to offer absolute reassurance—but long-term resilience comes from helping children tolerate uncertainty while knowing they are supported.

Helpful parent responses might sound like:

• "We don't know exactly what the weather will do, and we know how to handle it if it happens."

• "Grown-ups watch the weather and make plans to keep people safe."

• "Storms can feel unpredictable, and my job as the adult is to keep you safe."

• "You're allowed to feel worried—and you are capable of moving your brain on."

This teaches preparedness without reinforcing fear.

Using Books and Videos to Help Kids Process Big Events

Stories allow children to explore fear and reassurance at a safe distance. Many families find it helpful to watch or read together.

Recommended books (linked here on Amazon Storefront under Psychological First Aid):

• The Invisible String — for reassurance and connection

• The Color Monster — for naming and organizing big emotions

• When I'm Feeling Worried — for anxiety and coping

• A Terrible Thing Happened — for processing scary or confusing events

Many more are listed in the Amazon Storefront, along with other resources for parents.

You can search YouTube for:

• "[Book title] read aloud"

• Calming content such as Cosmic Kids relaxation or Mind Yeti calming videos

Watching together supports co-regulation, which is more important than independent coping skills after stressful events.

Why These Books Work as Psychological First Aid

They:

• Normalize stress reactions

• Reinforce safety and connection

• Reduce catastrophic thinking

• Avoid forced processing

• Support natural recovery

They do not:

• Label children as traumatized

• Push exposure

• Demand insight or meaning-making

Community Resources for Families in Need

For families still navigating the aftermath, Nashville and surrounding areas have offered support through:

• Warming shelters and stations at police and fire precincts

• Transportation or pickup services for those without access

• Community donation efforts, including support for generators and emergency supplies

Sharing this information calmly—without urgency—helps children see that systems and helpers exist during emergencies. In addition to being helpful, this provides reassurance.

A Final Note to Parents

If the storm was stressful for you, that matters. Children don't need parents who are perfectly calm—they need caregivers who are present, honest, and steady enough to help them recover.

If your child's anxiety feels persistent or is interfering with sleep, school, or daily life, early support can help restore confidence and safety. Support at any time is warranted when a person is struggling to access their world. We believe that children deserve every moment of their childhood that we can give them!

Our Nashville-based child and family therapy practice is here to support families as they navigate uncertainty, recover from disruptions, and build resilience—together.

Wishing all of you warmth, restoration of power, and your sense of security soon,

Eleanor Ezell, LCSW

Founder and Director
Child and Family Therapy Collective