Talking to your kids about COVID-19

This pandemic is affecting every individual in the world. Adults are discussing with others and monitoring the news to stay up to date. What about our children? How can we explain to them why they are not able to go to school? Why are they not able to see their friends? Why do they have to stay at home? These are big questions, and it is our job as parents to help explain.

1.  Find out what your child already knows. Encourage your child to journal what they believe is going on. Children struggle in communicating their feelings. They are just starting to understand what feelings are. Have them write what they think COVID-19 is or even draw a picture to represent what they think is happening. 

2.  Offer comforting statements. Children mimic what they see in us. Now is the time to show them that even during difficult and uncertain times they can practice finding the good in things. We have an opportunity to help them practice resilience, not panic. 

3.  Help them feel in control. Validate what they are feeling, let them know it is ok to have these feelings but we can't stay in these feelings. Offer them times during the day where they can express all their worries as well as times when it is worry free time. 

4.  Keep the conversation open. Let your kids know they are able to talk to you about this topic whenever they have a question or are feeling concerned. Follow up after a few days and see how they are feeling about this topic. 

5. Take time to play each day with them.  Spend extra time playing with your child. Children will rarely communicate how they are feeling, but will often make a bid for attention and communication through play. Don’t be surprised to see therapeutic themes of illness, doctor visits, and isolation playthrough. Understand that play is helpful for children—it is how they process their world and problem solve, and there’s a lot they are seeing and experiencing in the now.