Kids are going to have questions and fears about the COVID-19 virus.
Caroline Watts, a practicing child therapist and Penn GSE’s Director of School and Community Engagement, says parents should be prepared to address three areas:
“First, the health and safety issues at hand. What information and behaviors do we want to teach our kids?
“Secondly, I think about the emotional tone of things. How anxious am I? How anxious is my child? How anxious is the community they’re in? How can I help them feel stable, safe, and secure while also taking this very seriously?
“Third, I think about the context. This virus has brought out a lot of ugly rumors and prejudices, often directed at people from China or other Asian countries, as well as at Asian Americans. I want to make sure kids know that the virus doesn’t pick targets based on ethnicity."
Watts shares her suggestions for how parents can convey those messages to their kids in a thoughtful way.
Read more at Penn GSE.
