As I write this Queensland is experiencing its worst flooding in over 100 years and what is perhaps the worst natural disaster in Australian history. We cannot escape the images, stories and pictures of the heart wrenching scenes and the drama unfolding before our eyes are everywhere. Images coming from places around Queensland like Dalby, Chinchilla and Emerald; Rockhampton, Caboolture and the Sunshine Coast were also inundated. We have all seen the confronting and shocking images and videos taken by those caught alongside the flash flooding through Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley. Subsequent flooding came into our capital city of Brisbane, knocking out infrastructure and causing the heart of our state capital’s CBD to grind to a halt. The streets were deserted as the flood peak approached. To the south Goondiwindi saw flood waters peak almost reaching the top of their town’s levy.

As adults we can often feel helpless when confronted by tragedies and catastrophic situations. Like the Queensland floods. This is undoubtedly having a profound effect on every Australian but what about our gifted children, many of whom are highly sensitive and brimming with empathy for those caught up in the floods?