Books that help children
work through modern stressors
Fun, engaging books written by an elementary school teacher & University professor
Is COVID 19 impacting your family?
Is your child experiencing increased stress and anxiety due to COVID-19?
Below are some guidelines & tips for helping your child respond to life's disruptions.
Olivia, 5 yrs old, From Georgia
Olivia, 5 yrs old, From Georgia
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How can I figure out if my chid is struggling? KEY Strategies
A good way to start is to follow your child’s lead, make no assumptions.
1. Listen to their thoughts.
2. Be open to hear and accept their view.
Children will see events from their own perspectives, and it may differ from the way you see things. What bothers you, may not bother them. Be a good listener, so you can discover their thoughts and concerns.
3. Once you know their concerns, talk about them and follow the three suggestions below.
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Acknowledge your child's feelings.
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Lay out the facts at a level that is developmentally suited to the age of the child.
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Be honest, and remember to not over explain.
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Tell them what they need to know, and remember they do not necessarily need to know all the details you know - some details are just not appropriate for their age group.
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Consider worst case scenarios, and discover together how they can all be handled. Encourage your child to plan possible responses. You might want to role play or puppet play scenarios and possible responses. You can write down some ideas in a table like the one below.
How to wear a mask correctly!
Wearing a mask correctly can prevent the spread of #COVID19.
When wearing one follow these four tips:
1) Wash or sanitize your hands before putting it on
2) Ensure it covers your nose and mouth
3) Avoid touching your mask once it is on
4) Keep it on, always covering both your nose and mouth
4) Wash or disinfect your mask after every use
Tips on Mask
1. Wearing masks protects keep germs from spreading
2. When wearing a mask you should still do you best to stay at least
six-feet apart. Makes don't replace social distancing.
Tips on Social Distancing
Explain to your children these key ideas:
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Social distancing means staying away from people who live outside your home.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that anyone living in an area experiencing the spread of COVID-19 practice social distancing. There are germs going around and if we stay 6 feet apart we make it harder for the germs to spread
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Wearing masks adds protection to keep germs from spreading
Four ways to teach how to recognized when you are far enough apart:
1. A teaching approach:
Get out the measuring tape and show your child how far 6 feet is.
2. A game approach:
Have your child make estimations about what is 6 feet from where they are standing.
Measure it and see if they are right.
3. Comparisons:
Compare to objects they already know: The length of the bathtub. the length of kitchen table?
4. Yard play:
Go to your yard. Mark a staring point and create a box six feet away, or place a hula-hoop.
Toss a beanbag or something into the area.
During time of COVID, when you take walks or bicycle together as a family, teach LOTS of corona courtesy
1) LOOSE cluster:
When no one is around, it's ok to stay in a loose cluster (You should still stay together, no need move in single file)
2) OPPOSITE SIDE:
Remind children that when you see someone ahead, safely move to the opposite sidewalk/side of street (unless they move first)
3) TIGHTEN you cluster
TIGHTEN your group, or move into single file so that everyone can fit on the road
4) STOP TALKING:
If you are not wearing a mask, stop talking when passing others. Talking spreads germs,
Additional Resources
In order to help your child explore the complex emotions your child is feeling, we have created a collection of resources. Some of these can be used directly with children and others are specifically for adults/parents/caregivers.