By Julia Hebert, MSW, LICSW
Children are constantly exposed to COVID-19 related news which can cause excessive anxiety. Being bombarded with reminders of the negative and sometimes deadly effects of the virus brings with it the fear that their primary caregivers, other loved ones or even themself could fall victim to the illness.
By creating an open and direct line of communication with their children, parents can help alleviate stressors surrounding the COVID-19 virus. Discussing safety measures that are in place, such as wearing protective face masks, frequent hand washing, use of disinfectants and maintaining social distancing help to reassure children that their loved ones are taking the necessary precautions to prevent them from contracting the virus.
Because COVID-19 frequently limits interaction with others, including co-mingling with friends, and also prohibits the social activities which were once considered the norm, children may feel an acute sense of isolation and loneliness.
Parents may wish to consider forming a partnership with other parents of same-age children to share ideas on ways to promote interactive online activities. By including their children in the decision-making process, a calendar of events can be created that appeals directly to the children in the group.
Resources that are aimed at keeping children busy while helping them learn can also be both challenging and entertaining.
For younger children, “Lunchtime Doodles with Mo Williams” is a great resource. Every day at 1 p.m., Mo Williams of E.T., the award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, hosts young children in his studio titled: Kennedy Center Education Artist Residence at Home Program. Each online episode can be streamed any time after it has been released, and some come with downloadable activity sheets. This resource is free of charge.
Children from pre-K through 9th grade may enjoy “Scholastic Learn at Home.” The monthly charge per family is $5.99. This website was created to help parents and caregivers enrich their children’s time at home during quarantine.
This resource provides three hours a day of exciting learning activities with loads of virtual field trips, projects, author interviews and the like.