Family resilience, or the ability of families to adapt and recover from challenges, can play a key role in protecting children from the negative effects of climate change, according to Mary McKay, a professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and an expert on child mental health. As climate change leads to more frequent and severe weather events, such as storms, droughts, and heatwaves, McKay emphasizes the importance of strengthening families before disasters occur. This preparation can help safeguard children's health and emotional well-being by reducing the impact of climate-related stressors. Climate change is not just an environmental issue—it can also lead to food shortages, financial instability, displacement, and social disruption, all of which can be especially challenging for children. In a recent paper titled "Strengthening Child and Family Resilience in the Context of Climate Change: A Call to Action," published in the journal Global Social Welfare, McKay and her co-authors, including WashU doctoral students Josephine Nabayinda and Claire Najjuuko, argue that preparing families before crises happen can reduce the harm caused by these disruptions. Children rely on adults, schools, and communities for safety and emotional support, but climate-related events can disrupt these systems all at once, increasing children's risk of mental health issues. Children often have fewer resources and coping skills than adults to deal with sudden changes, making it crucial to strengthen the adults and systems around them. Preparation can make a significant difference. Families can help by discussing potential climate-related challenges with their children, creating contingency plans, and keeping resources on hand to cushion the impact of disruptions. "The better prepared the adults are to talk with their children about these likely circumstances, to have contingency plans as needed and to have some resources in reserve to buffer the effects, the less children will be affected," McKay said. The aim is to make climate-related disruptions more manageable, rather than allowing them to destabilize a household. Policymakers and community leaders also have a role to play in building family resilience. McKay suggests that timely emergency assistance, rapid restoration of schools and other child-serving institutions, and support for caregivers can help children maintain stability after disasters. Advance preparation is especially important for families with fewer resources. Leaders should develop and test disaster preparedness programs for families most likely to be affected by climate changes, such as those in flood-prone areas. These efforts can help families adapt and protect children when climate-related disruptions inevitably occur.