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