Support Your Child and Teen’s Anxiety and Stress Related to COVID-19

Pediatric Psychologists from the Center of Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s offer tips to help support your child and/or teen through the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Take time to talk to your child or teen with age appropriate information about COVID-19.
• Share the facts. Answer questions as best as your child can understand. Don’t overshare. You know your child best.
• Comfort and reassure them that you and other adults are working together to keep them safe.
• Encourage them to share what they are feeling so you can help them sort through difficult feelings. Look for opportunities to correct any false information, magical thinking or self-blame.
• Limit the amount of news coverage they see including time spent on social media and ask them what they are seeing/hearing and if they have questions.
• Be mindful of your conversations with other adults about COVID-19 -look for private space away from curious ears.
• Establish daily routines at home that include learning, fun activities and some of your typical family rituals that prioritize family values (i.e. family dinners, bedtime stories, games or pet care).
• Find alternative ways to encourage social connections with friends and the broader community (i.e. host virtual hangouts, decorate your windows or front steps and sidewalk with uplifting messages and art).
• Be sure you are managing your own stress and anxiety (“Put on your own oxygen mask first so you can continue to help others!”).

For more information: https://childhoodresilience.org/resources-1.