Creating your Family Charter
Spending lots of time together as a family? It may be a great time to create (or revisit) your Family Charter. Just like your child...
Talking to your Children about COVID-19
Our students are experiencing a significant transition with the stay-at-home order and social distancing. It may be challenging for some children to understand the coronavirus pandemic and why we are making these adjustments.
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The following is a helpful resource with recommendations on how to talk to your children about the coronavirus from the Child Mind Institute. The comic mentioned above can be used as tool to use to ease children's worries when having this conversation.
Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus | Child Mind Institute
What parents and other adults can say to kids about the coronavirus COVID-19. How to answer their questions and keep kids feeling safe. By Rachel Ehmke
Veiw the article here: https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus
The author believes that "Kids worry more when they're kept in the dark." Some of the recommendations from Child Mind Institute include:
Don’t be afraid to discuss the coronavirus.
Be developmentally appropriate,
Take your cues from your child. Invite your child to tell you anything they may have heard about the coronavirus, and how they feel. Give them ample opportunity to ask questions. You want to be prepared to answer (but not prompt) questions. Your goal is to avoid encouraging frightening fantasies.
Deal with your own anxiety. “When you’re feeling most anxious or panicked, that isn’t the time to talk to your kids about what’s happening with the coronavirus,”
Be reassuring. Children are very egocentric, so hearing about the coronavirus on the news may be enough to make them seriously worry that they’ll catch it. It’s helpful to reassure your child about how rare the coronavirus actually is (the flu is much more common) and that kids actually seem to have milder symptoms.
Focus on what you’re doing to stay safe.
Stick to routine.
Keep talking.
Below are links to more selected articles offering advice and best practice recommendations
for parents and caregivers during COVID-19.
By Emily Boudreau, Elio Pajares.
With video from Richard Weissbourd, a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Posted 3.13.20.
This article provides advice on how to help your child work through fears and uncertainties. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/20/03/helping-children-cope-coronavirus-and-uncertainty
This article provides an overview on providing a calm supportive presence
while being aware of your child's mental health needs.
This article offers guidance, recommendations, and resources are provided by child trauma experts.
This article provides links to in depth documents with guidelines to help parents support their children while they are home from school during the Corona virus (Covid 19) precautionary period. Each module is a different component of support. Modules are grouped, so please be sure to scroll through longer documents.
https://kevinplummerphd.com/support-your-children-at-home-during-a-stressful-time/
Click here: https://www.seattleschools.org/district/calendars/news/what_s_new/coronavirus_update/resources
If you have questions about resources please contact Ms. Angel.