Tips to talk to your children about the Covid-19.

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Just a couple of weeks ago we were watching the development of the coronavirus in China. I honestly never anticipated that the effects of the coronavirus in America would be so serious. And here we are today, with various states activating quarantines, closing restaurants and bars, and much more. As a mother I usually try to filter the information my children receive from the news or social media. But as a health professional I think prevention and being prepared is important, and whether we like it or not that preparation includes our children as well. In this post I am going to give you simple tips that you can follow to talk to your children about the Covid-19 without alarming them, so that they are prepared and follow the health rules that are so important for everyone to avoid contagion.

These tips are good for any situation of pandemic, or emergencies where you have to communicate to your children about something that can drastically affect their lives.

Ready? Let’s begin!

Tips to talk to your children about the Covid-19.

1. Before talking to your children, focus on what you are doing to be prepared for the coronavirus or any other emergencies.

Before talking to your children, keep in mind how you are preparing to keep the family healthy. Inform yourself first of all the recommendations of health agencies to keep you and everyone healthy at home, make the necessary arrangements or purchases. This will make you feel prepared and calmer. And in the same way, your children will receive the news with the certainty that measures are being taken within the family to be prepared. In addition to that, children will feel calmer if you tell them how to stay healthy themselves. Give them all the information they need to follow the recommendations as well, just like everyone else.

2. Deal with any anxiety you might have first.

Talking to your children when you are most anxious is not recommended at all. As I emphasized in the previous point, if you start the relevant preparations, you will probably feel calmer to inform your children about the coronavirus. It is important to wait for the time when you feel calmer to talk to them and be able to answer the questions they may have in an objective and clear way.

3. Be patient and reassuring.

The misinformation and nature of children can lead them to feel fearful or anxious about the coronavirus. It is important to explain to them in a clear but appropriate way the characteristics of the disease. And make them feel safe but prepared at the same time.

4. Before open the conversation about the coronavirus, test what they know.

It is incredible how sometimes we underestimate our children. The truth is that sometimes they know more than we do about the things that are happening. Open the conversation by asking them what they know about the situation. And based on what they already know, you start giving them the tools to stay informed and prepared.

5. Don’t be afraid to talk about the coronavirus.

From the beginning of all the events in China, children are probably listening to the events on the news, seeing people wearing masks, or seeing them in hospitals etc. It is important to emphasize that your children will feel calmer if you talk to them, instead of not talking or trying to hide information, that will make them feel more worry and anxious. After all, your most important goal is to help your children have the correct information, this will allow them to feel more confident that everything will be fine eventually.

6. Try as much as possible to stick to a routine.

You are going to ask me, how am I going to follow a routine? When everything is changing, even schools are closed! It is correct, but now, with this new reality, and with all the changes that are taking place, creating a new routine or modifying the previous one for the sake of our children well-being is crucial. This will allow them to restore to the sense of security and stability that they have lost. For example: Part of the routine of my children has not changed, because they are still doing the “Distant learning” program of public schools. the routines of going to sleep and getting up is still intact, the routines of shower and feeding are also the same, but to create a little distraction we are reading 2 books every night before sleeping my little one and I. This is a small change to our previous routine that will stick with us for some time starting now.

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7. Keep talking to them, but always remember to be developmental appropriate.

As events unfold, speak frankly with your children. Honest communication with them will ease their tensions and anxieties. But always taking into account the age, knowledge, and ability to understand the things that your children have. Too much information in some cases can backfire. Prepare to give the most appropriate information for them, to answer in a clear and concise way the questions they may have at this time.

Summarizing, here you have some tips to communicate to your children everything that is happening with the coronavirus.

Remain clam.
Be reassuring and empathetic of their feelings.
Make yourself available at any time.
Pay close attention to the information they receive from TV or social media.
Maintain a routine, new or modified, as much as possible.
Be honest with them as much as you can.
Review and model to them basic hygiene rules and a healthy lifestyle that will allow them to stay healthy and protected.
Discuss with them the new rules at school, or the new “Distant learning” program in case the school is already closed. Make sure they understand and offer your help if is necessary.

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Final thoughts about the tips to talk to your children about the Covid-19.

The most important message I want you to take away from this article is that a conversation with our children is inevitable. With everything that is happening, that is all over the news and social media is impossible for them not to find out. But nobody is better than you to have a calm, clear and loving conversation with them, to explain the new changes and how to stay protected and healthy in times of the coronavirus.

In these times the most important thing is to stay together, and protect each other, starting with our children. I hope this article helps you a lot. Thanks for reading.