'I am a virus. The whole world is talking about me these days. You must have heard of me too, right? It's very similar to what you experience with flu and colds. I don't like clean places at all. If you wash your hands with plenty of soap and water, I'll leave immediately. "When you wash your hands by singing the happy birthday song twice, I will run away from you." Would we be this worried if they told us about the virus with a text like this, and if they explained this text by making puppets talk? Or, on the contrary, would we be encouraged and think that we could deal with it? Although it is a simple explanation for us, it is tremendous for children who have not yet reached the abstract stage (before the age of 7). Because children at this age only understand what they can perceive with their five senses.
While even scientists are experiencing a lot of lack of information about Covid-19, and while we, as adults, are anxious and worried, it is normal for children to feel anxious in this process that is uncertain when it will end. In this process; The healthy communication you have with children who are 'concerned' about the epidemic depends on how old your child is. Preschool age children (0-6 years old) are highly affected by the slightest event they hear from their parents, their parents' fearful moods, and their parents' anxious conversations with their friends. Young people between the ages of 11-18 have their own peer information networks and can access social media and news sources; They have a more realistic perspective on the epidemic than children aged 0-6. Because; While talking about the virus, when you say 'everything will be fine soon' to a 5-year-old child, you get hope, when you say 'everything will be fine soon' to a 14-year-old, you ask 'how do you know whether we will be fine or not?' He can give realistic and logical feedback by saying 'No one knows when the virus will end'. For these reasons; It is important to keep children out of the media as much as possible and direct them towards productive and useful areas of interest in order for them to come out of this process with less damage. Here too, the opportunities of positive family communication should be taken advantage of.
None of us know whether the virus will affect our children, but instead of creating conspiracy theories on the subject, be optimistic, learn more. It's better than worrying the kids unnecessarily. 'An optimistic attitude not only calms children down; "It will also strengthen them spiritually." Giving children practical advice that they can apply in their daily lives will both reduce their risk of infection and make them feel that they have a solution to protect themselves and their families from the virus and that they have the power to control the situation."
Let's not forget that the most effective way to deal with the epidemic process in a healthy way is to create our own domestic agenda, instead of the Corona agenda....
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