Tips Parents Can Use To Discuss Coronavirus With Their Children
These are unsettling times for all of us as the world deals with the Coronavirus.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), it is important that parents be upfront when discussing the disease with their children. SAMHSA reports children can become scared when they hear about an infectious disease on the news or hear others discussing it. Children react to anxiety and stress differently than adults do.
Some children may react immediately, while for others it might take weeks for them to admit that they are struggling with the news of the outbreak.
Below are tips parents and caregivers can use to deal with their child’s anxiety:
- Pay attention and be a good listener. Parents, teachers and other caregivers can help children express their emotions through conversation, writing, drawing, playing and singing. Most children want to talk about things that can make them anxious and cause them stress. SAMHSA suggests parents, teachers and caregivers should accept their feelings and tell them it is OK to feel sad, upset or stressed.
- Allow them to ask questions. Ask your children if they know about the Coronavirus. Watch news coverage of the disease with them. It’s also important to limit access to the news so children can take a break from the reminders that are pretty much a 24-hour news cycle.
- Encourage positive activities. Young people may cope better by volunteering and helping others. Encourage them to write letters to those who may be sick or organize drives to collect medical supplies to send to the most affected areas.
- Model self-care, set routines, eat healthy meals, get plenty of sleep, exercise and take deep breaths to handle the stress. Parents can set examples for their children by taking care of themselves physically and mentally.
When dealing with preschool children between the ages of 0-5, get down to their eye level an speak in a calm, gentle voice using words they understand, additionally:
- Tell them you will always care for them.
- Keep their routines as normal as possible, such as eating dinner together and having a normal bedtime.
When dealing with children 6-19 years of age keep these tips in mind:
- Ask your children what worries them and what you can do to help them cope.
- Offer comfort with kind words or just being there for them.
- Spend more time with them than you usually do.
- If you see signs your child is distressed, excuse them from their chores for a day or two.
- Encourage them to have quiet time or to express their feelings through writing or art.
- Encourage them to enjoy outdoor recreational activities so they can interact with children of their own age.
- Share your anxiety and stress with them in a healthy manner.
- Make sure you let your children know you care about them by spending time with them doing something special with them.
- Maintain a consistent routine, for example, completing homework and playing games together.
In some cases, children may need to see a mental health care specialist if they have trouble coping with the outbreak.
Listed below are some useful articles on how to address the Coronavirus with children.
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About the Author: Mike Keeney
