Talking to Your Children about Coronavirus

The world is changing day by day due to the coronavirus. Schools and businesses are closing for an undetermined period of time. Anxiety and fear in adults is increasing as this threat moves closer and closer to home. How is this effecting our young children and teens? What should we tell our children about this virus and it's effect on our society?

First and foremost, check your level of fear and anxiety. Children and the people around you will feed off your fear. Are you taking all the precautions that the government has suggested? If you are, be somewhat comforted by the fact that you are doing all that you can do to keep yourself and your family safe. If you aren't, begin today.

Talk to your children about the virus in terms that are age appropriate. Younger children can understand about spreading nasty germs. They can be taught that handwashing, elbow bumps instead of hugs and handshakes, and distancing themselves from older family members will help prevent the spread of these nasty germs. I recommend viewing the news with your tweens and teens so you can answer their questions and alleviate their fears about this pandemic and help them to understand the things that they can do to help be part of the solution.

I am a grandparent of two young grandchildren. Due to my asthma, my husband and I are self isolating. We continue to interact with our grandchildren in several ways.  They play games and blow bubbles in our backyard while we watch from inside. We blow kisses and play hand games on the window between us. I am happy to say there are lots of finger prints on our glass door. We are also reading books and playing games via facetime or skype. We are also writing letters and drawing pictures for each other and leaving them in a toy mailbox.

If you have other ideas about staying connected, I would love to hear about them as it looks like we may be in this for the long haul.

A Quote that Makes Sense Even in these Dangerous Times

Ships in harbor are safe, but that's not what ships were built for.  John Shedd

After the tragic events that occurred during the midnight viewing of the new Batman movie last night, I am feeling apprehensive about "letting" my children go see that movie tonight.  I understand, given the age of my children, that I really don't have a say about whether they go or not but I know many of you who do have a say as to what your children are doing are thinking the same thing.  When I actually sat down and thought about it, and didn't let my fear win out, one of my husband's favorite quotes came to mind and I thought that it really applied to this situation.  Parents who hide their children away in their homes to keep them safe from all the bad things going on in the world today are keeping them from doing what children were meant to do, live life and have fun.  Tonight, my chidren will be going to the movie as they have been planning to do for a month now.  I will probably ask myself a hundred times during those three hours whether they are safe, but I know that "wrapping them all up in bubble wrap" isn't going to allow them to lead a normal life.  Neither will allowing my fear to bleed over onto them.  Children are intuitive creatures, don't let them smell your fear. 

If your child is very fearful after this tragety, sit down and talk to them about it and listen to their concerns.  They may need some help getting past this event, especially if they have been through a tragety themselves.

How to Talk to Our Children about Deadly Weather Events Like the Joplin Tornado

Whether it's a deadly tornado, hurricane or flooding, weather events of the magnitude of the tornados that hit Joplin and the Midwest strike fear in all of us including our children. We are drawn to watching the news stories on these weather events 24/7. Be aware of the effect that watching these stories is having on not only you but your children. It may be difficult to talk to your children about these situations because you may be feeling as if you have no control over whether it could happen to you. Make peace with your emotions before addressing these stories with your children, but don't wait too long. The fear that your chiild is feeling may be growing with each hour that passes.

Focus your discussion on the way that family, friends and strangers are lending a hand to help out. If you are so inclined perhaps you and your child could gather things that will help in the relief effort or pray together for the victims and the survivors.

Include some discussion about what your family would do if a storm was headed your way. Maybe even taking the time to do a practice drill like they do in the schools. Living in Florida has taught me that it is very important to be prepared for a weather event. People tend to become complacent about these storms when we go years without a major hit. Many people were caught by surprise when we were hit by three hurricanes in less than a month in the summer of 2004. My family takes time each year to collect water, batteries, can food, candles and have a filled tank for our grill. Some people believe that preparing causes children to become anxious but I believe that it is just the opposite. Being prepared gives us all a sense that we can have some control over surviving these weather events.

Focus on the coming together of family, friends and stranger lending a hand the generosity of strangers

A Few Words for Parents about the Death of Osama bin Laden

Many emotions were stirred up in the hearts of Americans last night when the death of Osama bin Laden was reported. Most of us remember where we were when the planes hit the twin towers, the pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. It still brings tears to my eyes when I hear certain songs or see a picture of ground zero. Understand that news of this death may bring us feelings of triumph and joy, but I urge you to curtail any celebration as your children's eyes are watching you. Most of them have only experienced this tragedy as a historical event and can not possible understand the terror that lived, and in many cases still lives, in the hearts of Americans following that fateful day. The media is going to be reliving many of those early moments following this tragedy in the weeks to come and talking about what may happen in response to his death. I recommend that you sit down and watch these stories with your children and talk about your feelings about these events, and then turn off the T.V. Understanding these events and the emotions that they bring up is important, however being bombarded by it 24/7 is not good for you or your children. Sharing with your children that you are somewhat worried that something may happen is okay. Children are pretty intuitive when it comes to their parents and they probably already sense your fear. Trying to hid it from them may cause them more worry than admitting to it. If you are feeling extremely emotional about these events, talking to a trusted adult or a counselor about these feelings before you talk to your children is a good idea.