I hope these tips will help open up a dialogue between your kids and you without causing anxiety or added stress.
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Talking to Kids About The Coronavirus
Don’t Be Afraid to Discuss COVID-19
Assure your kids that asking questions, sharing feelings, and thoughts about the coronavirus are perfectly acceptable. Do your best to reassure your kids that they’re safe and you’re doing your best to keep them healthy. Address the topic in a fact-based scenario to help alleviate the worry they may have after listening to their friends or the news media outlets.
Keep It Simple
Try to give just enough information based on the age and maturity level of your kids. Whenever you’re answering questions or discussing the coronavirus with kids, always take into consideration their emotional maturity to handle certain areas of the coronavirus topic. Do your best to answer clearly and honestly without stirring up more anxiety in your kids.
Deal With Your Anxiety
It’s important that when talking to kids about the coronavirus that you have your emotions in check. Never discuss COVID-19 with kids when you’re overly worried or anxious as the kids will sense your energy and start worrying. Make sure you’re in a stable emotional mindset when discussing this virus with your kids to be the reassuring parent you need to be during these scary times.
Focus on What You’re Doing
Since many schools and countries are completely shut down, it’s important to discuss what your family is doing to stay safe and healthy from the coronavirus. Discuss measures that your family is taking to stay healthy, such as hand washing for 20 seconds with soap and warm water, and staying away from large crowds. Reassure your kids that your family is doing everything possible to not contract COVID-19.
Related content: Handwashing poster to colour (and handwashing activity ideas)
Related content: Handwashing poster to colour (and handwashing activity ideas)
Tips to Ease Kids' Anxiety During the Coronavirus Outbreak
If your kids are starting to experience anxiety over the coronavirus outbreak, then you’ll want to use these tips to help ease anxiety with your kids during these scary times.
Help Kids Feel in Control
Give your kids some instructions on what they can do to help keep the family safe. You’ll assign tasks that the kids can do to feel more in control of the virus outbreak, which will reduce anxiety. You can assign tasks like washing their hands frequently, not touching their face, and get adequate sleep. These three tasks are something your kids can be in control of regardless of whether schools shutdown or the coronavirus is running rapidly in your neighbourhood.
Consider Video Chats
If you have any older relatives in the family that your kids may be anxious about, try to do some video chats with elderly relatives. You can ease your kids' anxiety during coronavirus outbreak by allowing them to speak with their elder relatives that they may be overly worried about. Call the nursing home or your relatives' home to find out how you can schedule video chats to help ease anxiety with kids during the coronavirus outbreak.
Keep the kids busy
Keeping the kids busy is a good way of stopping them from thinking too much about the coronavirus. We have loads of fun indoor activities on our website. We have everything from fine motor activities to cool science experiments to cute paper crafts.
Every kid will handle the coronavirus outbreak differently, that’s why I felt it was important to discuss some options to help ease anxiety with kids during this scary time. The best way to ease your kids' anxiety is to try to keep your own anxiety in check and be cautious about what you say within ear reach of your kids.
This is a scary situation for everyone in the world, but if you remain calm, cool and collective you’ll find that talking to kids about the coronavirus is the best way to help your family work together and stay calm.
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