COVID-19 Parent Resources

It is very important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. If parents seem overly worried, children’s anxiety may rise. Parents should reassure children that health and school officials are working hard to ensure that people throughout the country stay healthy. However, children also need factual, age appropriate information about the potential seriousness of disease risk and concrete instruction about how to avoid infections and spread of disease. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety.

For specific guidelines on how to help your family through the concerns and anxieties related to COVID-19, please take a moment to read Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus) A Parent Resource

Additional Resources:

Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks https://store.samhsa.gov/system/files/sma14-4885.pdf 

Child Mind Institute- Talking to Kids about Cornovirus https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/ 

Dr. Doreen Marshall for the NASP- Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty

Seattle Children’s Hospital- Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety About COVID-19