The outbreak of Covid-19 brought about a lot of confusion with all the facts and health recommendations being issued. It is therefore understandable if your kids are having a hard time understanding it. Already, kids struggle with maintaining personal hygiene as they often forget to wash their hands and avoid touching their face.
It is important to take time to help them understand what Corona Virus is and the recommended prevention measures that they can practice to protect themselves and your family in general. The following are some tips on how you can talk to your children about Corona virus:
- Be truthful. Ensure that the information to give them is true and age appropriate. Ensuring that what they think about the virus is true will help them combat any fear they may have.
- Be calm. Children tend to pick up cues from your conversations. They will react both to what we say, and how we say them. Keeping calm helps to give back control over the situations and provides reassurance.
- Be available to talk and listen. Ensure the children know that they can come to you when they have any questions and that you’re willing to listen to their concerns.
- Ensure you pay close attention to what they see or hear. Both misinformation and too much can lead to anxiety
- Reassure children of their safety. Let them understand that feeling upset about the situation is acceptable. Reassuring your kids is especially important if you have already experienced a case in your area.
- Teach your kids recommended protective measures. Wash your hands with them frequently to remind them of its importance. You can even sing along to make it more fun. Remind them to cough or sneeze into their inner elbow or a tissue and dispose of it well.
- Go through other safety measures you’re taking and their importance. You can explain why you’re wiping down your groceries and surfaces. Of importance is discussing the need for social distance and avoiding touching surfaces especially in public areas.
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- Inform them of any new actions that may be taken at school or day care to help protect the children and staff.
- Use a visual demonstration because your children may struggle with understanding the idea of germs. You can use flour to demonstrate how germs spread when shaking hands or when they touch contaminated surfaces.
It is always important to talk to your kids about good hygiene, but it’s even more critical in the midst of the Corona Virus pandemic. Take care of yourself. Children learn better by observing what you do. Repeat the preventive measures like hand washing with them to normalize personal hygiene. Ensure that any conversation you have with your kid(s) about Corona Virus remains honest and factual.
