Help daughter afraid of going back to school after 22nd feb 2011 Earthquake

Blair - posted on 03/17/2011 ( 2 moms have responded )

Can anyone please give me some advice. We live in Christchurch New Zealand and last month 22nd feb 2011 we had a major 6.3 Earthquake which left distruction and death. My oldest daughter Rene 8yrs was at school at the time of the Earthquake and I was at home with my youngest daughter Payton 3yrs at the time. After the earthquake hit there was a lot of panic from everyone as buildings had fallen down, bridges were unpassable and roads were covered in tons and tons of Liquidfaction some roads even opened up and swallowed a few cars. There were people running around screaming and yelling the road outside our house was packed bumper to bumper with cars and i couldnt leave my house cause my driveway was a complete mess with liquidfaction, aftershocks where happening every 5-10 minutes it was really scary. I was all alone (apart from my youngest daughter) and couldnt reach anyone as phonelines were down power was out. I had to make the decision to leave my daughter at school as it was about a 2hr walk around rivers and there was also possibilities that walkway bridges were also out and with a 3yrs old it would of taken even longer 3 steps forward 4 steps back. I finally got a text to one of my best friends to pick her up when she got her daughter as she only works 5min away from the school and i knew she would be safe. the earthquake happened just before 1pm and rene didnt get home until 6pm ish it was so hard thinking that something happened to her and I felt even worse to think i didnt go get my daughter im fighting myself everyday with my decision that i made. We left Christchurch 2days after the Earthquake hit as the kids were to scared to stay and we have been with family ever since. We have asked her if she wants to enroll at school were we are but she hasnt wanted to. Yesterday we finally made the step to go into the school in town and enrolled her but she was fighting the whole way there she has a fear that another Earthquake is going to hit and im not going to be able to get to her again it is hurting me to know that she if afraid of me leaving her again. Where we are staying its only about 12-15houses away from the school.

How do i make her go to school without her freaking out?

I dont want to push her to hard because after our earthquake her best friend went to Japan to see family and get away from the Earthquake and they had the 9.0 Earthquake and Tsunami on 11th March 2011 her friend was at Disneyland Tokyo at the time.

We have just heard that her friend is ok but dont know when they will be returning to New Zealand. I think it is finally taking its toll on my daughter now i need some help.

I dont want to hear that kids learn to be scared from there parents cause ive heard that to many times since the Earthquake.



So now my daughter has had a double wammy when it comes to natural disasters please help