Some anxiety is normal during this time, but that doesn’t make talking about it any easier. There are many people thinking about the question of how to talk to kids about COVID-19, so I have included links to two good articles below with more comprehensive information and specific resources. Key Points: You are having all the feels, they are having all the feels; take the opportunity to talk about emotions Ask them what they have heard about coronavirus, which can help guide the conversation & make sure they have accurate information Try creative ways to talk about feelings Try a color scale (green=calm; yellow=worried; red=mad, etc) Make up words to describe how you’re feeling (e.g. hangry) Talking during an activity like walking, stretching, or doing a puzzle Write it out Trust yourself; you’ve talked to them about hard things before Take care of yourself (you’re modeling self-care at the same time) Find things you & they can control (Clean up toys! Make a schedule!) Schedule worry time once per day (instead of letting worries intrude all the time); avoid right before bed Seattle Children’s: Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety About COVID-19 Dr. Sidhu, UNM: How to Speak to Children About the Novel Coronavirus SAMSHA (pdf): Talking with Children Tips In summary, make sure you dedicate some time to … Read More
