Parenting and COVID-19

In just a few weeks, our lives have changed dramatically with the number of cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) growing in NSW, along with the rest of the world.

Parents undoubtedly want to be well-equipped with the best information for them and their families.

While the most reliable source for all things COVID-19 from a health and social distancing perspective is the NSW Health’s website, another handy site is Australian Parenting.

The site is particularly handy for tips on how to have the conversation with your child about the virus.

While they will be hearing a lot about it on TV, radio, social media as well as from other children; the site suggests it’s important to talk with them regularly so they understand and cope with what’s going on around them.

Tips include:

Finding the right time to talk, such as at bedtime or in the car.When your child is ready to talk, give them your full attention.Find out what your child knows already, by asking them for example, ‘On the news today, they were talking about coronavirus. Were your friends talking about that today? What were they saying?’Use a calm, reassuring tone and stick to the facts.For younger children, keep it simple and brief. For example, ‘That’s right, some people are getting sick with a germ. It makes them cough and sneeze. The sick people are being looked after well by doctors and hospitals’.For older children, offer more detail. For example, ‘I heard you talking with your friends on the phone about how you catch coronavirus. The virus spreads through things like sneezing, coughing and touching infected things. That’s why good hygiene and hand-washing are really important. They help to protect everyone.’Tune into your child’s feelings by asking them how they feel and listen to what they say. You can also ask them what they need to feel better.

For up-to-date and reliable information about Coronavirus (CO-VID 19):

NSW Health – COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Australian Government Department of Health – Coronavirus (COVID-19) health alert

Reference: raisingchildren.net.au