Calming Covid-19 Fears

As more information is shared and precautionary measures increase in reaction to the Covid-19 Virus, it is natural for both parents and children alike to be unsettled, have questions, worries and very real anxiety.  One of the best ways to support children in processing these thoughts and feelings is to be mindful and reflective of your own feelings before supporting them. If you feel you need time to reset or deescalate your own worries or anxieties (which is completely normal), please make a point to try and make the time to do so before speaking with some of our younger and more sensitive.  Children tend to regulate their own emotions by taking verbal and non-verbal social emotional cues from trusted adults.  For additional reading see: How to Avoid Passing on Anxiety to Your Kids from the Child Mind Institute.

It is important to be mindful of media and news exposure for both younger and older children. Media can often be sensationalized and is truly not intended for consumption by children.  For example, some media outlets may overly focus on extreme cases which may be more upsetting for some children and evoke more anxiety than may be necessary. Look out for signs of discomfort or distress in reaction to corona discussions and adjust exposure to news and media content accordingly. For additional reading see the New York Times Article: Is the News To Scary for Kids? 

Re-framing social distancing and school closures in positive terms will be helpful in supporting a transition to prolonged social distancing. Framing the time off from school as some thing like, " Our city is focusing closely on making sure that everyone is working hard to limit spreading a new germ that is very harmful and as such your school and all of the other schools have decided that the best way for us to work together to help them do this and to have everyone spend more time at home their families. While we are home they do important things like finding really good medicines and cleaning germs in buildings and places were a lot of people meet. This is why it is important to give each other space so that we are careful and not spreading our germs to others." 

Maintaining a daily schedule that includes academic time, down time, creative time, physical movement and fresh air is also important. Doing so will help you and your children find some normalcy despite the unexpected nature of current events.  Remember you may not be able to replicate the structure or regimen of a regular school day, so it helps to not put that kind of pressure on yourselves or your youngsters.  

Lastly, be mindful of little ones and older children when in ear shot of adult conversations where anxiety may be heightened and more sophisticated conversations may be occurring.  Children tend to take their cues from us and assuring them that they are safe and secure will be paramount in managing the potential for any growing anxiety.  

If you are looking for a quick reference parent guide please view Talking to and Supporting your Children during the Pandemic . This brief oral presentation provides a step by step video guide for parents presented by Dr. David J. Schonfeld, the director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement. 

Special note to PARENTS:

Remember, this is an unprecedented time with unforeseen challenges. We should not expect perfection from ourselves, our children or others. Instead we should lean into compassion, empathy and flexibility in our expectations as we all work hard to support each other and our children in response to this community crisis. This experience will not be exactly the same for every family.   Please take moments to reflect on that. We all respond differently to stress and have different family stressors. Finding a balance between staying safe and staying informed,  juggling work and your children, caring for loved ones and caring for ourselves is not an exact science. Rather, it's about finding what works best for you and your family. Staying connected to each other and finding small moments to enjoy closeness, connection and share reassurance will be key for all of us. 

We are all in this together. 

Please don't hesitate to contact your division's psychologist, counselor, nurse, Health and Wellness and Guidance Teams for additional support.