How To Talk To Your Children About COVID-19

During this difficult time in which we are experiencing a pandemic, you may be wondering about how you explain everything to your children or children under your care. As a mom myself, I am talking to my girls about all the emotions that are connected to stay at home orders, lack of going to school, the fear when I have to go to work. I created a quick framework for how to talk to your children about COVID-19.

Here’s a brief framework to go by:

• Don’t be afraid to talk about it. This means that we don’t want to just pretend everything is ok. You want to create a space where it is ok to talk about how weird, scary, or even “fun” (not being in school) this is. When you talk to your children you will want to let them know what they are feeling is totally normal. That if they are angry they can’t go play with their friends that’s OK. Validate their feelings, then offer your perspective after you have validated them. 

• Use developmentally appropriate language. Telling your 1st grader that they are anxious might not be the right language to use. While they are anxious they haven’t developed the vocabulary yet. Start to use the language they would use.  You can then teach them about what they are feeling. As a parent, your kids just want to be heard and feel safe. BE that safe place by answering their questions.  

• Be reassuring. Just like I said above, when you can validate their feelings, and create a safe place where they can talk you will be reassuring. Letting them know that you are there for them and that your family is going to take all the steps we need to take to stay safe. When you are reassuring your kids you can use it as moments to learn about feelings such as fear, anxiety, what safety looks like. Along with opportunities to teach about cleanliness, being a good citizen, creating fun, new ways that can show people you care about them. 

• Manage your own anxiety; remain calm when speaking about COVID-19.  If you’re unsure how to do that, please check out our blog. If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious or hopeless reach out to a therapist. At Richer Life Counseling we are offering online therapy to help anyone in need. 

Coronavirus Anxiety

• Keep your family on a routine. One of the hardest things about the COVID-19 pandemic is it feels like our lives are on hold. Our everyday day normality has been flipped on its head. When our routines have been broken, it can create more anxiousness. You can help you, children, by creating a routine so they have some safety in this time of quarantine. Routine will offer stability, and stability provides comfort and that will help them feel safer. 

• Speak about what you’re doing to stay safe. Talk about steps you are taking to stay safe such as, “We are not going to friends’ houses,” “We only go out once a week to get food,” and we clean them and wash our hands.” Explain what steps you are taking. 

• Turn off the NEWS.  You might not feel anxious watching the news and talking about COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for your kids. 

• Teach them–wash your hands, catch your cough, explain social distancing in terms they’ll understand, such as “germs like to get passed from person-to-person but if we’re far enough apart, it can’t reach the next person”. 

Here  are some other resources on Talking to Children about COVID-19

• Childmind.org

• PBS.org

If you’re a parent or caring for young children and working from home, you may be feeling extra overwhelmed.  Some TIPS for coping with the stress are:  

• Setting a schedule
• Establishing blocks of time of who’s watching the children
• Communicate with the children that you are working
• If possible, block out time just for them (hence the schedule), and set them up on virtual playdates.

“When our children see us expressing our emotions, they can learn that their own feelings are natural and permissible, can be expressed, and can be talked about. That’s an important thing for our children to learn.”  — Fred Rogers.

As a parent myself, I want to help children through this once in a century event. That means I must take care of myself and my mental health. You can learn how to take care of yourself by reading my article on how to cope with COVID-19. You can also contact us today to schedule a session if you just need to talk to someone to process.

Contact us today by calling or texting 702-518-1546, email,  or booking a session by hitting the appointment request button. We can normally get you into a session within 24 or 48 hours.

We offer both online therapy (learn more about online therapy here) and in-person therapy at our Las Vegas office. Our office is located in West Las Vegas right off the 95 & Rainbow. Our address is 222 S. Rainbow Boulevard | Suites 113-114 |Las Vegas NV 89145