Page 13 - ParentsWorld June 2020

Talking to children about COVID-19

hildren are constantly exposed Vats, founder-president of the Early
Cto television news, dinner table Childhood Association, India.
conversations, and social media. • Follow your child’s lead. Some
Therefore, they tend to be well aware children may want to talk about the
that the world is beset by the Corona- pandemic, others may be fearful.
virus pandemic that’s killing thousands • Educate them about precautions
of people. Even if they don’t show it, such as hand washing, wearing
they are worried about their parents masks and social distancing.
contracting the virus and falling ill and • Limit children’s exposure to
that they might be separated from their negative news about the pandemic.
loved ones. It isn’t easy to explain this Explain that scientists the world over
0.06 micron virus to children but it are working hard to find a curative
needs to be done in an age-appropriate Dr. Swati Popat Vats vaccine.
manner. • Be positive and reassuring when
ParentsWorld presents guidelines to you speak to them, because children
explain Covid-19 to children: can pick up a lot from your tone.
• Ask your child — whatever her age — what she knows • If your children are anxious after your Covid-19 dis-
about the Coronavirus. This will help you dispel myths. course, encourage them to share their fears. Children think
• Preschool children won’t know much about viruses and differently, and their worries may not just be about a loved
their deadly potential. Therefore, explain the phenomenon one who may fall ill or die. For instance, their biggest fear
in terms they understand. “‘Some people are getting sick may be that they will miss out an annual opportunity to
because of a new type of sickness — the Coronavirus. visit a water park, or not get to visit their cousins this year.
Most of them get well but some become very sick. Because Don’t trivialise these fears. Instead, give suggestions about
of this, we need to make sure that it doesn’t enter our how they can connect online with friends and relatives.
bodies. That’s why we are now not going out and meeting • Children worry about grandparents and other loved
people.’ You could also use videos and pictures to explain ones. Encourage them to video chat with friends and
harmful and benign bacteria,” advises Dr. Swati Popat grandparents.

which will prolong the at-home period of children to early  Parental conversations about the pandemic, economic
June and July if not longer. downturn and job losses should be conducted in private,
away from children.
Work from home  Focus on boosting children’s mental and physical
health, rather than academic learning.
GUIDELINES  Don’t insist on children’s schoolwork and don’t fret
about their skipping a online class or two. Instead, during
the prolonged holiday encourage children to research
ith epidemiologists predicting that the Covid-19 subjects that interest them.
Wpandemic is likely to take a year to run its full  Allow children few hours free time every day to do
course, work from home (wfh) is here to stay. Here’s a whatever they want.
precis of survival guidelines collected from several industry  Encourage them to learn household chores such as
leaders, sociologists and psychologists for cleaning, dishwashing, and cooking that will
parents struggling to balance paid em- stand them in good stead when they grow
ployment and child care with domestic into adulthood.
chores.  Avoid punishing children, especially
 Parents especially of young children teens, by threatening to take away their
should be realistic about the number of phones and computers. Isolation can severely
hours they can work from home. Plan depress and unbalance children. Encourage
a daily schedule and negotiate wfh core online communication with friends.
and flexi hours with employers.  Keep children informed about the lat-
 Ideally, parents should work in shifts, est good news and developments to reduce
taking turns to supervise children. anxiety and stress.

parentsworld • june 2020 13