Parents reassure kids, prepare for boredom

By LINDA CHION-KENNEY

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 25, 1998

AMPA -- This is all new to Cathy Pinelli, a former New Yorker whose children attend Hillsborough public schools. The threat, the warnings, the preparation, the controlled panic, the waiting.

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But as a mother, Pinelli has an added concern: how to handle the uncertainties of children with their own sets of fears.

"This is our first experience with a storm like this, so we're just going to try to keep calm," she said. "We've got water, flashlights and food. And we've got lots of board games. We'll just try to keep them quiet."

She's not alone. Parents throughout the bay area are trying to comfort their children as they ready their homes for harsh rains and winds and prepare for what could be a long wait with stretches of boredom.

Hillsborough school Superintendent Earl Lennard, a lifelong Hillsborough resident, has been there and done that many times. His advice sounds a lot like that sent home to parents in letters Thursday.

"I've gone through this with my own children," said Lennard, who has two grown children. "We went through Hurricane Elena with the children, and basically what we did was make sure we had plenty of activities on hand that didn't require electricity. You can't count on the TV always being there."

Teachers were told to explain to their children what a hurricane is and how planning helps keep you safe. And if they are afraid, they should stay close to their parents or caregivers.

"The best thing is to explain to children what a storm is and how it comes -- but then goes on by," Lennard said. "In my house, we just assured the youngsters everything was fine, even if at times we weren't so sure ourselves."