What can we do to protect ourselves: Children will feel more in control when you explain to them what they can do to protect themselves (washing their hands, wearing a mask, staying away from crowds, etc.).Emphasize the importance of not letting worry thoughts enter our minds, just like we try to prevent the actual virus from entering our house. Tell them that certain actions will help them to stay healthy (eating and sleeping well, spending time outdoors and staying worry-free).

When will things be back to normal: Here you need to give a relatively concrete answer even if we don’t know what is going to happen. Tell your children, for example, that we think it will be over by summer. If things don’t get better by then, tell them that things will be back to normal by the time they have to go back to school in September. Uncertainty will create the unnecessary anxiety for your children. Tell them that the disease has affected the entire world but that things are slowly changing. You may want to use the analogy of a storm that is passing over an entire planet, it moves slowly, but eventually it will pass. Mention that the scientists are working on a cure.

Dealing with emotions: Most children will feel a certain degree of anxiety right now. Younger children usually deal with difficult feelings by engaging in play. Don’t try to reason with your younger children when they refuse to talk! Instead try playing with them. You can role-play their feared scenarios and suggest ways of resolving difficult situations.

Reaching out: Discuss with your children how they can help those around them. This may involve making a drawing for their grandparents, helping you drop off food/medications for an elderly neighbor, recording a song of hope performed together as a family and sending it to friends, etc.

COVID-19 and home life

The daily routine: The importance of establishing a daily routine can’t be overemphasized, especially during the time like this. Establish a regular wake-up time for your children and ensure that they eat their meals at a regular time. Set up the home-schooling routine. Your child’s school may be offering daily online classes. Alternatively, there are online homeschooling programs available. Encourage your children to play outside if possible. Every day at a set time give your children an update on what is happening in the world and answer their questions. Every family is different. If you feel that you can’t stick to a concrete routine, at least try to establish regular wake up, nap, bedtime and mealtime. In between set up some time for a walk outside. You can prepare a daily schedule and post it on the fridge each day.

Homeschooling: If your school does not have online classes, you might consider enrolling your child into an online program that would target some basic skills (e.g. math, reading). You can also get your child an online tutor for his or her weakest subject. If your child’s school does not have regular online classes, consider getting in touch with teachers. For younger children especially, an occasional chat with their teacher can be a strong motivating factor. If your child has a learning problem, at least try to establish a regular practice within his or her weakest area of study. However, you might discover that your child is resisting all of your efforts to establish a homeschooling routine. Don’t force your child to study. At this time, your priority should be at making sure you have a strong and united family!