COVID-19 has made people of all age groups feel overwhelmed. During this time, governments and local authorities have taken preventive measures such as lockdown and even restricted the mass gathering areas like schools and shopping complexes. This sudden change in the environment has made school-going children and kids fall into anxiety and finding difficulty in understanding what they are seeing or hearing from other people. The top school in Panchkula, Hallmark Public School is sharing five tips on how parents can talk about COVID-19 with their children.
1. Listen and be open-minded
Find out what and how much your child knows about COVID-19 and follow their lead. You might not need to discuss the issue or topic if they haven’t heard about it, but it is always a good idea to teach good hygiene practices. Reaffirm that they can talk about any of the concerns with their parents whenever they like.
2. Be Honest and child-friendly
If your child knows something relevant to the issue, they have all the right to know about it but depending on the understanding level of your child, keep the conversation by picking up their reactions and using age-appropriate language.
3. Educate how they can protect others
Educate your kids about healthy and hygienic habits such as washing hands frequently, covering mouth while sneezing, and explain to maintain distance from the people who have symptoms of flu or a common cold. This would help them in understanding and building confidence to live a healthy life and also how their good habits can protect themselves and prevent the virus from spreading.
4. Self-care is vital
As a parent, it is crucial to take care of yourself and feelings of anxiety or stress as children tend to pick up on how you respond to the current situations or news. You’ll be able to help your kids to cope with stress or anxiety only if you are calm and in control.
5. Reassure and end the conversation with care
Help your children by making time to play and relax. If there is an outbreak in your area, reassure your child Also, tell them that you care, close the conversation in a friendly way, and that you are available whenever they need to talk.
Hallmark Public School, the best school in Panchkula, recommends parents to maintain a positive attitude in front of their children.