Talking to kids about COVID-19
Children may be exposed to talking nonstop about coronavirus. Our children are hearing the news, and friends & family talking and understandably sharing concerns, too. Even at school, children are hearing about the virus and registering that some adults seem worried.
Your children might have heard about it and have questions for you. Here are some ideas responding to their questions:
Provide accurate information and try to balance what they need to know without fueling the flame of anxiety.
Acknowledge any fears that your child may have and validate them. This is a time for reassurance.
Model calmness when discussing the virus, reassuring children that our medical professionals are working hard to help anyone who becomes sick.
Limit news exposure so that children do not take on the anxiety and worry that may conveyed on the television.
Invite children to use coping stattages, mindfulness and other stress reduction activities to allow both the parent and child to reduce the stressors associated with this virus.
Find out what your child already knows and about COVID-19. Are there rumors or disinformation that they are working from? Give factual age appropriate information.
Watch for reassurance seeking. Children will ask many questions and this is natural however sometimes, a child’s anxiety seems to be asking the questions, prompting a behavior called reassurance seeking. It may look like a child repeatedly asking the same or similar questions, yet the child’s distress increases no matter how many times you answer the questions. If you notice this, then it might be helpful to seek support to help your children manage anxiety.