Having the “Corona talk” with our kids can be tricky. Especially when everything in the world and therefore in our lives is changing so rapidly.
The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us and our kids’ lives are no different. Their schools suddenly stopped, they had to sit in front of the computer and try to gather what the teacher was teaching, they no longer could ride bikes in parks and above all, they might have a feeling of being trapped.
In all this chaos, it is imperative to guide them through this phase and communicate with them in a way that will make them understand it better.
Here are some tips you can follow while talking with your child about the COVID-19 situation:
· Offer Comfort — and Honesty
Focus on helping your child feel safe, but be truthful. Don’t offer more detail than your child is interested in. If the topic doesn’t come up, there’s no need to raise it.
If your child asks about something and you don’t know the answer, say so.
Speak calmly and reassuringly. Kids pick up on it when parents worry. So when you talk about COVID-19 and the news use a calm voice and try not to seem upset.
Give kids space to share their fears. It’s natural for kids to worry, “Could I be next? Could that happen to me?” Let your child know that kids don’t seem to get as sick as adults. Let them know they can always come to you for answers or to talk about what scares them.
· Find Out What Your Child Already Knows
Ask questions geared to your child’s age level. For younger children, you could say, “Do you have questions about the new virus that’s going around?” This gives you a chance to learn how much kids know — and to find out if they’re hearing the wrong information.
Follow your child’s lead. Some kids may want to spend time talking. But if your kids don’t seem interested or don’t ask a lot of questions, that’s OK.