Talking to Your Kids About COVID-19

The world can seem like a scary place right now in the eyes of a kid. Instead of an extended Spring Break, they’ve had to see their teachers and school friends online for distance learning, their parents have been insisting they wash their hands more than usual, and they’ve had to start wearing masks for any outing. Especially for kids with birthdays and celebrations, they might be wondering why their nana and aunties are waving from a car on the street instead of giving their favorite nieces and nephews a hug. COVID-19 has really impacted the way kids see the world. As adults, it is our job to make sure that we check in on our kids and help them understand how the precautions we’re taking are for everyone’s health and safety. The news can be a lot for kids to process and understand. Taking the time to talk to your kids about COVID-19 and how it can affect them, can make a scary situation less scary. Our Rhode Island movers share ways to talk to your kids about COVID-19.

Discussing COVID-19 With Kids

As a parent you may be wondering “should I talk to my kids about COVID-19?” Explaining a pandemic to a child can be hard to do when you do not fully understand what is going on yourself. However, taking the time to check in on your kids and making sure that they are handling the coronavirus pandemic well is still important.

Children are very in tune with what is happening around them. As you talk to your kids about COVID-19, be honest and minimize any anxiety or fear by letting them know what to do in order to stay healthy. Our Rhode Island residential movers follow the CDC’s guidelines when it comes to talking to kids about COVID-19 and habits they should form to stop the spread of the disease.

Be calm and reassuring

Kids react to what you say and how you say it, so they will quickly pick up on cues from your conversations with them and others. Have honest conversations with your kids and make sure that you are consistent with the message you share with them, especially when you have conversations with other people. Set the example yourself.

Make yourself available

Give yourself time for a lengthy COVID-19 conversation with your kids. Listen to your children’s concerns and questions, address them, and let your kids know they can always share their feelings with you.

Don’t use accusatory language

Avoid blaming the virus on any one group of people (ethnicity, country, religion) and do not assume that anyone you may know has COVID-19 without confirmation. Viruses can make anyone sick, regardless of race, ethnicity, and so on – it is important that your kids understand that.

Monitor TV, radio, and screen time

There are a lot of ways for kids to get information these days. A 3-year-old can navigate YouTube better than some adults, even. Many adults are overwhelmed by the information being spewed from sources like the news and social media, and often, there’s a lot of inaccurate information. Pulling back on the amount of time your kids spend online, in front of the tv, or listening to the radio can also help ease anxieties they may be having about COVID-19.

Provide honest and accurate information

When talking to your kids about COVID-19, relay information that’s appropriate for their age and verify the sources where you found this information yourself to ensure it is truthful, accurate. Ask your kids about some things they may have heard or seen on the internet and use this opportunity to teach them how to tell if a source is trustworthy or not.

Teach your kids the best practices to prevent COVID-19

Make sure your kids are social distancing, remind them to wash their hands as often as possible. You should also make sure that they know the proper ways to cough and sneeze to prevent the spread of germs. If they accompany you on an errand or you take a family trip to the park, make sure your kids, and all members of your group, are wearing masks.

Our Rhode Island local movers are here to help those relocating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact us today for your free, virtual estimate.

Here at All My Sons Moving & Storage, we thank our clients for trusting us with their relocation. Given the increased attention of COVID-19 (coronavirus), we want to assure all clients that their safety and our employees’ safety are a top priority. While we’re experts in moving, we want our clients to know that we’re actively implementing the health and safety guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure we take the proper precautions.

We’ve instructed our employees that experience symptoms, defined by the CDC, to not report to work and instead contact their doctors. We ask that if you or any of your family members have experienced COVID-19 symptoms, please let us know immediately so we can take the proper additional precautions.

As a company, we believe in serving our community and supporting each other, especially during difficult times. We believe in the power of us, all of us!