I’ve lived in Ashdod for more than a decade, and I’ve been through several rounds of rocket attacks and military operations here with my children. But it was only during this war that my son lost it. Every time an alarm goes off, he goes into a fit, kicks everyone around him and screams. You really have to lift him by the hands to get him into the safe room. The little twins immediately react by crying, they have long since moved to sleep in the bed with me and my husband, and they are back to wetting themselves at night. I feel like I’m walking on eggshells, as if at any moment something else is going to fall apart on me.
Thanks to a friend who saw an advertisement, I turned to an excellent parenting guide. The psychologist guided us on how to find a calm time and talk to the child about what is bothering him. We gave the child responsibilities and roles during an alarm, and we learned some calming techniques that we all use together in case of need. At least the war inside the house is over.