Consequence of Stress on Children`s Behavior:

A couple of years ago, I got I decided to give international teaching a go. I got an offer to cover a maternity leave in Japan for 3 months. That was perfect for me since 3 months would be enough for me to get that experience of teaching in Asia but short enough for it to be ok with the rest of my family. I knew Japan was a country with a high earthquake rate, but I never imagined what was about to happen in just the 3 months there.

It was a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon, my class and I had just come back from playing outside.  We were just getting settled and ready for an afternoon snack, I was getting someone`s snack out of a cubby, when I felt the floor shake…I thought I might just be dizzy…but I soon realized it was an earthquake. I got all my students under tables as we watched our huge fish bowl shake and water pour out. I looked at the face of my assistant that had been living in Japan for over 15 years and was used to earthquakes…she was sacred…I then knew it did not look good.

The students in my class were fine, most used to the drill, however most parents were not able to get back to school to pick up their children since most of them worked in Tokyo and transportation had been affected. Other parents took children in and they managed to be picked up my morning.

The earthquake was just the beginning, because soon there was news about the tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The important thing to note was that my 3 year old daughter Alexia was with me.

School was cancelled the following days and the situation was getting more and more serious with the radiation threats. Back home everyone was trying to get me to return as soon as possible.  I realized that I needed to get home as soon as possible.  I managed to change my plane tickets and leave earlier than planned, on the 19^th. The 11^th to the 19^th were the longest days of my life. The constant aftershocks determined m to move out of my little apartment and an extra room in the school. I felt more secure there. I was terrified about what could have happened…but for my little girl I was very calm, cheerful and strong.

Alexia remembers this whole earthquake thing as when we went under the tables and the fish water spilt out and Shotaro slept at school with us. I treated it as a fun sleep over at school and did my best to be calm. I did not let her see how scared I was. Things did start to change soon…school ended we moved into the school for the remaining days before me we went home. I always did my best to reassure her that everything is fine and she was ok because she knew I was in control. I did my best to watch little if no news around her. She just accepted things as they came and did not seem affected by them. This just foes to show how resilient children are and how much of an effect the manner in which the caregiver reacts/treats the issue. I know that I will be forever marked by what happened although for for Alexia it is still an interesting memory.

 In case anyone is curious to learn more about this tragic natural disaster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA9t9Hiz5C8