Time to leave children’s play
Actress Helena Zadro-Jones reacts to an emergency radio announcement in the play ‘Time to Leave’
THE NEED
Although young children are highly impacted by bushfire emergencies with worries about the safety of their family members, pets and toys front of mind during a disaster, their needs can sometimes be forgotten as families scramble to manage the immediacy of the situation they are confronted with.
Research has shown that preparing kids for the possibility of a bushfire and familiarising them with an emergency or evacuation plan can not only reduce the risk of injuries and death at time of an emergency, but it can also minimise the psychological impact of a disaster and help promote long term resilience for children after the event.
One developmentally appropriate example of this is that young children can sometimes engage in what psychologists call “magical thinking.” This is the belief that an individual’s ideas, thoughts, actions and words can influence the course of events in the material world. An everyday example of this might be a child believing that their parents are divorcing because they didn’t do well in a school test.
Magical thinking is a normal part of child brain development as the egocentricity of young children merges with their limited ability to understand abstract concepts and it is common for children under the age of 10.
However, for this reason, it’s important that in times of stress, parents check in with their kids to make sure that they don’t blame themselves for events that have nothing to do with them. For example before, during and after a stressful event like a natural disaster it is extremely important for kids to understand what’s happening, and why - and to realise that none of it is their fault.
THE PROJECT
Local drama teacher and playwright Liz Barclay wrote the short play ‘Time to Leave’ after being inspired by her own experiences of dealing with a natural disaster. In the play, local actresses Helena Zadro-Jones and Clancy McIlveen play the lead roles of ten year old, Charlie and her nineteen year old sister, Lucy who are confronted by the reality of a bushfire emergency and the need to evacuate their home in the Megalong Valley. For more information on the play, please download the program here.
Clancy McIlveen plays ten year old Charlie in ‘Time to leave’
KEY INFORMATION
In February 2023, “Time to leave” was first performed at the Resilient Villages Conference which was held at the Fairmont Resort in Leura. The play was very well received by conference delegates. University of Western Sydney academic, Tracey Willow commented; “I was mezmorised by the authenticity of this play.”
In July 2023, the play was performed for students at Kindlehill School in Wentworth Falls. Watch the student’s response to the play here.
From June 2024, “Time to Leave” will be performed across a number of Blue Mountains primary schools starting with the Zig Zag Primary School, Megalong Valley Primary School and Hampton Public School.
STAKEHOLDERS
Let’s Act Now
Blue Mountains Primary Schools (parents, teachers and students)
FUNDERS
Resilient Villages
RELATED NEWS STORIES
https://resilientvillages.au/news/short-play-dramatises-kids-experiences-of-bushfire-season