Finding ways to help your children cope with COVID-19 can be difficult. Not all children are anxious or the same age. How does one explain such a complex issue without causing trauma? Here are our top 4 tips to help your children cope with COVID-19.
1. Explaining the Situation
We are going to ask you to be age-appropriately honest. Fear and anxiety come from not knowing, so try and explain what’s going on. Let your children know that they are safe at home with you. You are protecting them and it is important to be patient.
For older kiddos, you might want to explain the science behind why. This is not an attempt at keeping teens in and away from friends. Sheltering in places is an effort everyone is practicing worldwide to help the immune-compromised.
2. Be Honest With Yourself
Children are intuitive. They can tell if you are anxious and look to you for guidance on how to behave. Check-in with yourself. Really reflect on how you are feeling and what is triggering you.
If your children do ask, be age-appropriately honest. There is so much about the COVID-19 outbreak that we as parents and people can not control. But we can seek to control our behavior and the way we engage with each other and our families.
Whatever you are feeling is valid. It is okay and real. If you are feeling overwhelmed reach out to friends and family. Make choices to help your well being, this is one of the few things you can control. Your children learn how to cope through example.
3. Create a Schedule
For those who are working from home, or are essential and still out in the world. An easy way to create stability is by enforcing a schedule or daily routine. This doesn’t have to strictly reflect every minute of every day. But creating repetitive expectations can ease anxieties because children will know what is going to happen each day.
It can be as simple as three meals, a family-project, and movie time together.
4. Be Open to Questions with No Answers
Children are insightful. They want to know what is going on and they will ask you why. Don’t shut them down. If you don’t know how to respond in the moment. Let them know that the question was big and you’re going to look it up. Never be afraid of looking for answers together with your children.
You want to be honest and stable. During a time when everything is uncertain, you are the constant in the lives of your children.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, we hope these 4 tips help you, your children cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. Keeping children safe is hard during the best of times. We wish you and your family health and wellness as we navigate the pandemic.
If you’d like to help kids in foster care during the COVID-19 outbreak. Join us in our efforts here.
