How to Educate Yourself and Your Kids About Coronavirus

Kids are full of questions. And with Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the news and impacting our lives via closures, cancellations, and shortages (and more rarely, by the disease itself), they’re bound to have questions about it, whether expressed or not. I’m not an expert on the disease or on child psychology, but I’ve rounded up some articles with information from those who are, so that we parents can educate ourselves and better support our children in age-appropriate ways. I’ve also included some resources aimed directly at young kids themselves.

Educating Yourself

• The Harvard Health Blog from Harvard Medical School explains, “Coronavirus: What parents should know and do.”
• The New York Times spoke with several infectious disease specialists to answer “8 Questions Parents May Have About Coronavirus,” like “Can I still take my child to public places?” and “My child has mild cold or flu symptoms. Should I take him to the hospital?”
• If you’re pregnant and concerned about Coronavirus, here’s what experts told the New York Times you need to know.
• The Harvard Business Review also covers the important “How Working Parents Can Prepare for Coronavirus Closures.” (Points to them for recognizing that “‘Parenting partner’ refers to anyone with whom you share responsibility for raising children, even if they aren’t your spouse.” Additionally, Vox’s article, “The coronavirus will cause a child care crisis in America” looks at some of the broader implications.)
• For anyone who wants to know more, including parents and older youth, the “Vox Guide to Covid-19 Coronavirus” is an extensive compilation of articles on medical, social, and economic aspects of the disease and its impact.

Talking with Your Kids

• The Harvard Health Blog also discusses “How to talk to children about the coronavirus,” including what it is and what we should do to try and prevent it.
• The National Association of School Psychologists has a long list of specific guidelines as well as suggestions for talking with children of various ages.
• CBS MarketWatch spoke with epidemiologists and a pediatric psychologist about how the disease may affect children and how to speak with them about it—without scaring them.
• The New York Times similarly writes about “How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus,” noting, “Keeping your own anxiety in check is key.”
• CNN offers “A guide to keeping your child safe and reassured as coronavirus spreads,” with advice from several medical experts, including, “Don’t wait until [your kids] come to you” and “Empower them to make healthy choices with you.”
• Kamilah Drummond-Forrester, director of the social and emotional learning (SEL) program Open Circle, also shares some ideas for “How to talk to children about the coronavirus,” focusing on the emotional aspects of doing so. (Full disclosure: Open Circle is a program of the Wellesley Centers for Women, my day job employer, though I work for a different program within WCW. This blog remains my independent work.)

Just for Kids

• NPR is offering a free, downloadable comic for kids that explains the Coronavirus. It’s based on a story by NPR education reporter Cory Turner with input from several experts. Among other things, it reminds kids that “Just because someone looks different or talks differently doesn’t mean that they are at a higher risk of getting the Coronavirus or spreading it.”
• The Brains On! podcast for kids has an episode all about “Understanding coronavirus and how germs spread.”
• Graphic novelist Lucy Knisley made up a great handwashing song to the tune of “Frère Jacques,” that’s more than just another way to count 20 seconds, but also a clever way to get kids to wash every part of their hands. She’s made it available, with helpful images, as a free, high-resolution poster for personal use. (H/t Kazoo magazine.)

Remember there’s a lot of false and misleading information floating around out there. The World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control remain useful central repositories about the disease. I wish you all health, strength, and patience as the world faces the disease together.