One south-east mum says she’s “extremely anxious and terrified for my child”. But there are some stress-busting strategies to help you ride the storm.
One south-east mum says she’s “extremely anxious and terrified for my child”. But there are some stress-busting strategies to help you ride the storm.
By Neesha Sinnya
March 4, 2025 — 8.13pm
As panic buying sees cyclone essentials fly off the shelves in south-east Queensland, panic of another kind is taking hold among some residents as Alfred bears down.
Single parent Jewlz is one such local as she faces isolation with her two-year-old toddler.
“I am extremely anxious and terrified for my child,” she said. “I’m so worried about being locked inside and isolated with my toddler.
“I usually enjoy storms myself, but keeping a kid inside by myself? It’ll be hard.”
The 34-year-old was grabbing cyclone essentials from Coles when she spoke to Brisbane Times.
“I guess I already feel quite isolated. It’s bringing up those emotions of, how do we get help? I’m thinking about how to entertain and feed them.
“I have to push those emotions far down and, unfortunately, I don’t have anybody to offload those emotions to. I just hope I can keep it together long enough to get through.”
Jewlz said a toddler’s anxiety could usually be managed with gentle music, but with the risk of blackouts, this solution couldn’t be guaranteed.
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Ernest Wong from Kids Helpline said the best thing parents could do was stay calm and “try to be a role model for your kids”.
“We don’t know how long this cyclone will stick around,” he said. “Just let yourself know that this storm will pass.”
And with no “one size fits all” approach to parenting, finding strategies to keep your particular family calm is essential.
“[Try to do] whatever is safe and in reason,” Wong said. “Try to stay close to loved ones and not go anywhere alone during this time – and try to stay indoors.”
Finding activities that you and your children enjoy can help, but it’s important that you remain calm as your child is likely to mirror your emotions.
You can do this by practising wellbeing techniques such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation and listening to music.
“I think it’s a tricky balance in how much we tell our kids. It could be helpful to get them involved, to help them stay active and plan first-aid kits, flashlights and emergency kits,” Wong said.
“You and your family can work as a team to stay safe. This can keep young people occupied and contribute to the safety of the whole family.
“We don’t expect everyone to have all the answers and know what to do exactly, so if you do feel like the strategies aren’t working, there are helplines.”
Resources to help you cope with the cyclone
- Children’s Health Queensland’s Birdie’s Tree provides information and resources to help children and families build emotional resilience to cope with and recover from natural disasters.
- Kids Helpline has a guide for dealing with natural disasters.
- Parentline offers tips to help you and your child cope with a crisis or disaster.
- Australian Red Cross has a guide for preparing for emergencies.
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Neesha Sinnya is a social media journalist for Brisbane Times.
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