A guide to keeping your child safe and reassured as coronavirus spreads

STAGE FOUR BREAST CANCER AND WITH SO MANY. RELATIONS. IT’S EASY FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO GET ANXIOUS OR FRIGHTENED. SO WE TALKED TO A THERAPIST ABOUT HOW YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR KIDS. NOT SHUTTING THEM OUT, BUT NOT OVER. EXPOSING THEM IS REALLY THE BIGGEST THING YOUR CHILDREN MAY BE FEELING ANXIOUS OR COULD FIND IT HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT’S GOING ON WHEN IT COMES TO THE CORONA VIRUS OR COVET 19 MEGAN PHILLIPS A LICENSED CRISIS THERAPIST SAYS THAT YOU SHOULD START BY ENCOURAGING YOUR CHILD TO TALK ABOUT IT. I ALWAYS ASK MY KIDS FIRST. I ALWAYS SAY SO WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOU KNOW, THERE’S THIS THING THAT’S GOING ON ONCE THEY ACKNOWLEDGE AND SAY OH YEAH, YOU KNOW, SO AND SO SAID THIS AT SCHOOL THEN YOU FOLLOW THEM AND ADDRESS ANY SORT OF CONCERNS THAT CAN COME UP KIDS MAY FEEL NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND THEM WITH ACTIVITIES BEING CANCELLED AND POSSIBLE SCHOOL CLOSURES THE MORE THAT WE SEE THINGS THAT ARE CANCELED AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THEN THAT ANXIETY DOES TEND TO RISE. JUST KEEPING A HANDLE ON IT BY LETTING YOUR KIDS KNOW LIKE WE DID THIS NOT BECAUSE THERE WAS ANYTHING IMMINENT TODAY, BUT BECAUSE THERE COULD BE AND THAT’S OUR WAY AS AS ADULTS OF KEEPING YOU SAFE. IT SAYS YOU’LL WANT TO BE HONEST AND EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY THEY NEED TO BE SAFE AND TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS WHEN WASHING THEIR HANDS OR USING HAND SANITIZER LIKE THEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY’VE GOT SOME CONTROL OVER IT AND I THINK IT’S THE SAME FOR ADULTS AS IT IS FOR KIDS IF WE REALIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME VERY SIMPLE THINGS THAT WE CAN ALL DO. AND IN HELPING AND IN DOING THOSE THINGS AND HELPI

Talking about the coronavirus is hard enough when you're an adult. The information, numbers and advice concerning the outbreak seem to shift by the day, and the abstract nature of the threat can invite plenty of fear and uncertainty.However, if everyone is talking about the coronavirus, your children are definitely listening. Here is some expert advice on how to start this important conversation and keep your child safe and reassured.1. Don't wait until they come to youEven the most scrupulous and watchful parent or guardian can't keep children from hearing about something as widely discussed as the coronavirus. And trust the experts: Your kids already know."The chances of a child, of any age, to not have heard about this is really low," said Robin Gurwitch, PhD, a psychologist and professor at Duke University."We don't always know where children learn things from. It could be from teachers or older students at school, and any child with a social media footprint or access to media in any way has definitely picked up something."Getting ahead of the conversation, then, is essential, said David Schonfeld, a developmental behavioral pediatrician and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Disaster Preparedness. "Kids can misinterpret things, they can overgeneralize and believe misinformation," he saidIn fact, Schonfeld said, ignoring the conversation can cause more harm than good. "You can't count on children to bring up difficult topics. If you ignore the subject, they may think the discussion is inappropriate or naughty or upsetting. So you need to present yourself as a source of information and let them know they can come to you." 2. Ask questionsOf course, every parent or guardian wants to reassure children. But, as Schonfeld said, "You can't reassure people until you find out what they're worried about." Below are some lines and questions that he and Gurwitch suggested to open the conversation:"There's been a lot of talk about the coronavirus. Tell me what you've heard about it.""What do you think about this?"How does it make you feel?""What questions do you have?""Asking questions lets you know where they're coming from," said Gurwitch. "It allows us to correct any misinformation, clarify points and know where we want to enter into the conversation."3. Keep information simple and useful"There is so much information out there," said Schonfeld. "What you need to do is filter down the information and distill it to what's clear, relevant to the individual, and give them what can be used to take immediate action."In other words, while you want to be open and communicative with your child, resist the urge to bombard them with every possible headline or piece of information about the outbreak.Schonfeld also suggests trying to keep the conversation productive and positive. For instance, if you were to bring up vaccines, instead of saying there are no known vaccines, say medical experts are working on trying to develop one.4. Validate their concernsThere's no reason to ignore the truth: The idea of an epidemic can inspire anxiety, so resist the urge to wave away any worries your child may have. "It's important to validate children's concerns and let them know their feelings are real," Gurwitch said.Recognizing these feelings can give children permission to cope with their distress. "There is a tendency to tell children that they shouldn't be worried," said Schonfeld. "We should stop telling children that they shouldn't be worried, and encourage them to explore their feelings."5. Tell them what's being done to keep them safe"We need to tell them what's being done. Because you can't just put it out there without describing a solution," said Gurwitch. "We want to say, our family is doing this, our country is doing this, and our family is doing this."Here are a few other expert suggestions:"We know that this is something that people can catch but we also know how to help keep ourselves as safe as possible.""We don't know everything about this virus, but we're learning more all the time.""We are making sure we wash our hands well.""We know it's always good to cover our mouth when we cough or sneeze.""Right now, as much as we want to hug our friends, we may want to fist bump or knock elbows."This is also an opportunity, Gurwitch said, to explain to them that not every cough or sneeze means someone is going to get the coronavirus. Not only can this cut down on anxiety, it can also keep kids from expressing prejudice or fear toward other people.6. Empower them to make healthy choices with youAfter you've told your child what is being done to keep them safe, it's time to give them a chance to take their safety into their own hands — to whatever level is age-appropriate."Nobody likes to feel powerless, and one thing kids can learn from a very young age is that their health is their health," said Schonfeld. He suggests letting them design their own handwashing routine, or encouraging them to ask questions about why certain safety measures are put in place and how they can make them a part of their own habits. "There's always some decision a child can make that can give them a sense of partial control," he said.This collaborative spirit can be expanded past virus prevention. "It's important to include kids in all of these preparations," said Gurwitch. "If you are preparing in case you need to stay in your house for a bit, ask your child what they would like from the store. Remember to include things that would keep your child occupied and active."7. Keep yourself informed so you can be a trustworthy sourceAll of this would be much easier if the adults knew exactly what was going on and exactly what to expect. Unfortunately, with a situation like this, that's not the case. So it's imperative to keep yourself well-informed so your child feels comfortable trusting you. Schonfeld said to avoid sharing rumors or sensationalistic information, and to refrain from bringing politics or personal beliefs into the situation."It's a good idea to go to the most consistent source of information, like the CDC," he said. 8. Be compassionateWhen we get anxious, we sometimes make bad decisions. We sometimes get cranky. That's as true for children as it is for adults."There's a few things that happen, doesn't matter if they're 4 or 14," said Gurwitch. "Children may become a little bit more irritable. Young kids may have more temper tantrums or meltdowns, they may become a little more clingy. But they may also have more problems with sleeping, children may have a little bit harder time with concentration and attention." That could manifest itself in forgetfulness or issues with completing chores or homework.The important thing, Gurwitch said, is to be patient with them, and stick to normal routines as much as possible.9. Follow upThis situation is ever-changing, and as time goes on, there may be new information you want to share with your child, or they may have new questions."We should check back in as new information comes up," Gurwitch said. "Being able to have this difficult conversation about coronavirus will set parents up in a very nice way for children to know they can come to their parents or guardians with difficult topics. When children know that we're willing to talk about something difficult, they will talk to us about something difficult."That's why it's so important to establish trust and openness early on. "Parents do become trusted sources when they are trustworthy; when they are honest and open and forthcoming," Schonfeld said. "But it's not just something you can establish in a day. It has to be a pattern."And it all starts by being brave enough to bring it up.

However, if everyone is talking about the coronavirus, your children are definitely listening. Here is some expert advice on how to start this important conversation and keep your child safe and reassured.

1. Don't wait until they come to you

Even the most scrupulous and watchful parent or guardian can't keep children from hearing about something as widely discussed as the coronavirus. And trust the experts: Your kids already know.

"The chances of a child, of any age, to not have heard about this is really low," said Robin Gurwitch, PhD, .

"We don't always know where children learn things from. It could be from teachers or older students at school, and any child with a social media footprint or access to media in any way has definitely picked up something."

Getting ahead of the conversation, then, is essential, said David Schonfeld, .

"Kids can misinterpret things, they can overgeneralize and believe misinformation," he said

In fact, Schonfeld said, ignoring the conversation can cause more harm than good.

"You can't count on children to bring up difficult topics. If you ignore the subject, they may think the discussion is inappropriate or naughty or upsetting. So you need to present yourself as a source of information and let them know they can come to you."

2. Ask questions

Of course, every parent or guardian wants to reassure children. But, as Schonfeld said, "You can't reassure people until you find out what they're worried about." Below are some lines and questions that he and Gurwitch suggested to open the conversation:

"There's been a lot of talk about the coronavirus. Tell me what you've heard about it."
"What do you think about this?
"How does it make you feel?"
"What questions do you have?"

"Asking questions lets you know where they're coming from," said Gurwitch.

"It allows us to correct any misinformation, clarify points and know where we want to enter into the conversation."

3. Keep information simple and useful

"There is so much information out there," said Schonfeld. "What you need to do is filter down the information and distill it to what's clear, relevant to the individual, and give them what can be used to take immediate action."

In other words, while you want to be open and communicative with your child, resist the urge to bombard them with every possible headline or piece of information about the outbreak.

Schonfeld also suggests trying to keep the conversation productive and positive. For instance, if you were to bring up vaccines, instead of saying there are no known vaccines, say medical experts are working on trying to develop one.

4. Validate their concerns

There's no reason to ignore the truth: The idea of an epidemic can inspire anxiety, so resist the urge to wave away any worries your child may have.

"It's important to validate children's concerns and let them know their feelings are real," Gurwitch said.

Recognizing these feelings can give children permission to cope with their distress.

"There is a tendency to tell children that they shouldn't be worried," said Schonfeld. "We should stop telling children that they shouldn't be worried, and encourage them to explore their feelings."

5. Tell them what's being done to keep them safe

"We need to tell them what's being done. Because you can't just put it out there without describing a solution," said Gurwitch. "We want to say, our family is doing this, our country is doing this, and our family is doing this."

Here are a few other expert suggestions:

"We know that this is something that people can catch but we also know how to help keep ourselves as safe as possible."
"We don't know everything about this virus, but we're learning more all the time."
"We are making sure we wash our hands well."
"We know it's always good to cover our mouth when we cough or sneeze."
"Right now, as much as we want to hug our friends, we may want to fist bump or knock elbows."

This is also an opportunity, Gurwitch said, to explain to them that not every cough or sneeze means someone is going to get the coronavirus. Not only can this cut down on anxiety, it can also keep kids from expressing prejudice or fear toward other people.

6. Empower them to make healthy choices with you

After you've told your child what is being done to keep them safe, it's time to give them a chance to take their safety into their own hands — to whatever level is age-appropriate.

"Nobody likes to feel powerless, and one thing kids can learn from a very young age is that their health is their health," said Schonfeld. He suggests letting them design their own handwashing routine, or encouraging them to ask questions about why certain safety measures are put in place and how they can make them a part of their own habits.

"There's always some decision a child can make that can give them a sense of partial control," he said.

This collaborative spirit can be expanded past virus prevention. "It's important to include kids in all of these preparations," said Gurwitch. "If you are preparing in case you need to stay in your house for a bit, ask your child what they would like from the store. Remember to include things that would keep your child occupied and active."

7. Keep yourself informed so you can be a trustworthy source

All of this would be much easier if the adults knew exactly what was going on and exactly what to expect. Unfortunately, with a situation like this, that's not the case. So it's imperative to keep yourself well-informed so your child feels comfortable trusting you. Schonfeld said to avoid sharing rumors or sensationalistic information, and to refrain from bringing politics or personal beliefs into the situation.

"It's a good idea to go to the most consistent source of information, like the CDC," he said.

8. Be compassionate

When we get anxious, we sometimes make bad decisions. We sometimes get cranky. That's as true for children as it is for adults.

"There's a few things that happen, doesn't matter if they're 4 or 14," said Gurwitch.

"Children may become a little bit more irritable. Young kids may have more temper tantrums or meltdowns, they may become a little more clingy. But they may also have more problems with sleeping, children may have a little bit harder time with concentration and attention." That could manifest itself in forgetfulness or issues with completing chores or homework.

The important thing, Gurwitch said, is to be patient with them, and stick to normal routines as much as possible.

9. Follow up

This situation is ever-changing, and as time goes on, there may be new information you want to share with your child, or they may have new questions.

"We should check back in as new information comes up," Gurwitch said. "Being able to have this difficult conversation about coronavirus will set parents up in a very nice way for children to know they can come to their parents or guardians with difficult topics. When children know that we're willing to talk about something difficult, they will talk to us about something difficult."

That's why it's so important to establish trust and openness early on.

"Parents do become trusted sources when they are trustworthy; when they are honest and open and forthcoming," Schonfeld said. "But it's not just something you can establish in a day. It has to be a pattern."

And it all starts by being brave enough to bring it up.

��vlog