3 Tips to Explain COVID to your Kids
Given the high rate of COVID-19 infection across the country, it would be wise and promote safety if parents and child care centres learned how to teach their children about it.
According to the Australian Health ministry, close to 3000 COVID-19 cases have affected children in the age groups 0-9 as of August 2021. The data shows that children are still at risk of contracting the deadly virus. This is not just the responsibility of the government approved kindergarten programs. Even parents and caregivers need to get involved.
The question is, how do we explain COVID to kids? In this post, I share three important tips. By applying these them, you will be in a better position to explain the dangers to all kids, including those who have not attained school age.
1. Find out what the child already knows
Ask the child what he or she knows about COVID. This will give the parent or caregiver a way to start explaining the deadly virus attacking people across the globe. As and you will know if the child carries any misinformation related to COVID-19.
If your child has been hearing the wrong or a confusing explanation from peers or has misunderstood what he has learnt at the childcare centre, you can follow up with the real facts. If the child raises an issue or has a question, research it before offering contradicting information.
2. Offer comfort and honesty
If your child is not comfortable with the topic, it can become difficulty to propose the right information. In this regard, avoid providing more detail than the child can handle at the moment.
Remember that kids pick up their parent’s fear. If you seem worried and in distress, the child will be uncomfortable learning more about the virus. Instead, speak calmly with reassurance. Never appear upset by the child’s response.
3. Let kids feel in control
The best way to engage your kids on a sensitive topic like COVID 19 is letting them feel in control. Let them know that washing their hands, wearing masks while at Mayfield kindergarten, and avoiding crowded rooms will keep them safe. In addition, teach them the importance of getting a vaccination, but it is vital to explain that vaccines do not cure an existing illness. They strengthen the immune system, helping the body stay safe.
Conclusion
We have looked at several important tips to bear in mind when teaching kids about COVID-19. It starts with finding out what your child already knows. Then, make sure the child is comfortable and willing to share. For instance, if a relative, sibling or teacher passed on scary information about COVID-19 complications, let the child know the truth.
Finally, make sure the child feels in control by teaching important prevention methods like washing hands, keeping social distance, avoiding crowded places, and wearing a mask while at public locations or meeting any person.
Most important, if you do not have the right details, contact a knowledgeable person. You may be contradicting what the government-approved kindergarten programs teach kids regarding the virus.
