Every household has been affected by the coronavirus, and your anxious child may be feeling the effects more than most. Dispelling their fear and anxiety can start by openly discussing the situation with your child, along with healthy habits and strategies that can help everyone feel balanced and calm. Here come some tips to help.
Know What Info to Share
While it’s important to give your anxious child the facts they need, it’s equally important not to share unnecessary info that can further fuel their anxiety. Decide how much your child must know to understand what the virus is and how to best protect themselves.
Children may want to know things like:
- What the coronavirus is
- How it is spread
- Why some people are wearing masks
- If people can die from it
Keep answers succinct and factual, only relaying information that’s from reputable sources. The Centers for Disease Control has a lot of valid and useful information.
Clear up Misinformation
Discussing the situation with your anxious child can help ensure they’re only getting the facts from you, but they may have already picked up misinformation from other sources. Children also have vivid imaginations, and your anxious child may be already playing out a worst case scenario in their head.
Asking your child what other information they heard, and where it came from, can help you replace fiction with fact. Talking about your child’s fears and worry can also help, particularly with reducing overall anxiety and stress.
Implement Stress-Reducing Outlets
In addition to talking openly with your child, you can weave other stress-reducing activities into your days. Maintaining your regular schedule as much as possible is important, as anxious children feel a level of security when things remain the same.
You can also try activities such as:
- Arts and crafts: Create a project for fun, or use art to help your child express emotion and dispel fears.
- Dance, movement and exercise: Any type of movement gets the blood flowing and feel-good endorphins going. Put on some upbeat music and have some fun.
- Board games, thinking games: Games can help your child stay in the moment and focus on the game in front of them instead of the thoughts rambling through their heads.
- Guided imagery and meditation: These practices are another way to relax and stay in the moment, with more details in the post Using Guided Imagery and Meditation to Help Child Anxiety.
Remember You Are a Role Model
Telling your anxious child to remain calm is not going to do much good if you’re stressed out and full of worry yourself. Children easily pick up on the overall mood around them. If you’re full of fret and fear, you child is going to sense it and may begin to feel the same way.
That means it’s crucial that you follow your own self-care routine that helps you eliminate stress, reduce your own worries and stay healthy and positive. That in itself is the best way to help your anxious child stay calm during these uncertain times.
SOURCES:
- https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/how-talk-your-anxious-child-or-teen-about
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-talk-to-children-about-the-coronavirus-2020030719111
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/24/coronavirus-kids-how-to-talk-to-children-death-virus-expert-guide
