6 Tips for Talking About the Coronavirus With Your Kids

6 Tips for Talking About the
Coronavirus With Your Kids With news of the virus dominating headlines everywhere, it’s
only a matter of time before your kids hear about COVID-19. Here are six tips from experts
at the Child Mind Institute to
help you talk with your child
about the coronavirus. 1. Don’t be afraid to talk about the coronavirus with
your kids, as they’ll likely hear about it on their own. Receiving fact-based information from
their parent will likely be much more reassuring
then whatever their friends are telling them. 2. Rather then overwhelming them
with information, let your children
ask you what they want to know. Answer honestly and clearly, but use their age and maturity
level to determine how much information is too much. 3. Encourage your child to be open
about the feelings and fears they may
be having because of the coronavirus. Your goal is to keep them informed,
but not unnecessarily panicked. 4. Calm yourself down and deal with your
own anxiety before talking to your kids. If you’re feeling panicked, it is not the right time to
talk to your kids, as you’ll cause them to feel it too. 5. Keep your family rooted in routines and predictability to
distract them from the uncertainty being caused by COVID-19. This is especially important
if your child’s daycare or
school shuts down as a
result of the outbreak. 6. Emphasize the ways in which you and your child can
stay safe. This will help them feel empowered. If they know the specific things they can
do to keep themselves safe, they’re more
likely to execute them on their own.