covid-19 Resources
I’ve written a new story because “We’re STILL Being Careful” and some of us are having a lot of big feelings about that. Click here to see the latest story.
There’s no one right way to talk to your young children about the coronavirus pandemic. There are several resources out there you might use as guides. What you’re aiming to do, as well as you can, is convey a sense of safety to your young children, in the midst of situation that has left all of us feeling anything but. This doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers - you won’t - or that you won’t say the wrong thing sometimes - you will - but that you will teach your children that it’s ok to ask the questions and it’s ok to talk about things that are scary or confusing, and that the adults in their lives are going to keep them safe.
I’ve written a baseline story appropriate for very young children - words that I’ve used with my own children. This story is designed so that you can edit it to line up with the details of your family’s specific situation. I encourage you to print out one paragraph per page and add your own photos - photos of your children doing the things they typically do and the things they are doing now at home. For preschool age kids, this might even be a project you could work on together.
To edit, select File > Make A Copy. Save this copy to your own Google Drive and edit away!
Or for a Word doc, click below
More information on talking to your children
Very young children who aren’t able to ask questions are likely still aware there’s something going on. Their routines have been disrupted, they aren’t seeing the people they usually see, going the places they’d usually go, and most significantly, the grownups they are seeing are probably acting a little strange. You don’t need to offer a lot of explanation, but it can help to acknowledge that things are indeed different. They know already. You may notice that their behaviors seem a little off - they might be more clingy or they might have more trouble sleeping. Those moments are perfect opportunities to say something as straightforward as “I know, it’s so hard that we aren’t going to your favorite playground today” or “you miss seeing your friends at daycare, don’t you?” You can then follow up with what you will do - “instead, we’re going to play with the blocks and blow bubbles outside” or “let’s draw a picture for your friend.”
Once kids are old enough to be asking more questions, the simplest explanations can go a long way. Often kids are less worried about the actual answer and more looking for validation of the feeling that prompts the question. So when the question is “why can’t we visit grandma?” your answer can first be “you miss seeing grandma, don’t you?” and then “we all have to stay close to home to keep everyone healthy right now, but let’s call grandma or send her a letter.”
Here are some other resources with more details on talking to your young children:
“Time to Come In, Bear: A Children’s Story about Social Distancing” By Kim St. Lawrence - lovely video for young children about staying inside
Zero to Three: Answering Your Young Child’s Questions About Coronavirus - includes links to activities to do at home and Sesame Street resources on health and handwashing
PBS: How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus - great tips on promoting “germ busters” and links to videos of Daniel Tiger, Sesame Street, and Curious George video clips
A book about Coronavirus designed for children and available in multiple languages.