5 Things You Must Teach Your Kids About COVID-19

Children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear.

The most crushing thing about Covid-19 is that it is an unknown, unseen threat. In the animal kingdom, when a predator threatens an animal, their body goes into high alert, their metabolism shuts down and the heart rate goes up. All the body’s energies are directed into the muscles, poised to act. The fight, flight, or freeze state of existence. This is exactly what is happening to most of us and is now experienced as anxiety.

# Wash your hands.

Keeping your hands clean helps you and your family avoid getting sick and spreading germs to other people. Scrub with soapy water really well for twenty seconds that’s one verse of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” or a whole run-through of the Alphabet song.

# No in-person playdates — for now.

The coronavirus can spread from one person to another, like when we share toys or hold a friend’s hand. Right now, it’s safer not to have play dates with friends. You may be home from school for a while, too.

Although you can’t visit your friends, you can still see each other in other ways: with your parents’ permission, you can talk on the phone or over video chat. You can also stay in touch as pen pals by writing letters or postcards.

# Masks are safe, not scary.

If you’re going out in public, like to the grocery store, you may see lots of people wearing masks over their faces. Don’t be scared: People are doing this as another way to help keep each other safe. The masks help protect the person wearing them from breathing in germs or, if they are sick, from spreading the germs to others.

# Cover your cough or sneeze.

Coronavirus germs can travel through coughs and sneezes. That’s why it’s important to cover your nose and mouth with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands afterwards, and, if you use a tissue, make sure to throw it away.

# Be a good helper.

Because your parents may be working from home now, they may be busy, tired or stressed-out. Give them a hand by helping with chores, like setting the table or cleaning up your toys when you are done playing with them.