Talking with children about COVID-19

As public conversations around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increase, children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear. CDC has created guidance to help adults have conversations with children about COVID-19 and ways they can avoid getting and spreading the disease. (cdc.org)

General principles for talking to children about COVID-19:

  1. Remain calm and reassuring

  2. Make yourself available to listen and to talk

  3. Avoid language that might blame others and lead to stigma

  4. Pay attention to what children see or hear on television, radio, or online

  5. Provide information that is honest and accurate

  6. Teach children everyday actions to reduce the spread of germs

Click here for a SPANISH version

Teaching Kids Media Smarts During Breaking News

When big news breaks, it's easy to get caught up in following the news online. But while the internet -- from major news sites to Twitter -- can be a valuable place to find useful information, it also can be the source of misinformation. Helping kids and teens understand the news and how to separate fact from fiction is an important job for parents and educators (Felucci, 2019). More information available here Commonsensemedia.org and in Spanish click here.

Social and Emotional Wellness During COVID-19

Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being:

Create a safe physical and emotional environment by practicing the 3 R’s: Reassurance, Routines, and Regulation.

First, adults should reassure children about their safety and the safety of loved ones, and tell them that it is adults’ job to ensure their safety. Second, adults should maintain routines to provide children with a sense of safety and predictability (e.g., regular bedtimes and meals, daily schedules for learning and play). And third, adults should support children’s development of regulation. When children are stressed, their bodies respond by activating their stress response systems. To help them manage these reactions, it is important to both validate their feelings (e.g., “I know that this might feel scary or overwhelming”) and encourage them to engage in activities that help them self-regulate (e.g., exercise, deep breathing, mindfulness or meditation activities, regular routines for sleeping and eating). In addition, it is essential to both children’s emotional and physical well-being to ensure that families can meet their basic needs (e.g., food, shelter, clothing).

Source: https://www.childtrends.org/publications/resources-for-supporting-childrens-emotional-well-being-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

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