Before telling your child about coronavirus, it is very important what the child knows about coronavirus. Correct information should be conveyed to your child, who has incorrect information and is therefore experiencing intense anxiety, by speaking calmly. However, if the child does not want to talk at that moment, it is very important to progress according to the child's process by not forcing him to talk.
When explaining the coronavirus; It is important to talk calmly, first of all, by getting rid of your own anxieties and fears. Because anxiety is contagious, explaining this situation in a frightening way with your existing anxiety may cause increased anxiety and trauma in children.
The most important source of trust for children is their families, and they learn life by observing their parents. Seeing the panic and anxiety of his family, the child forms the perception of "There is something to worry about", "Will something happen to me?", "Will something happen to my family?", "My parents are so worried, who will protect me?" Because children want to see their parents strong and expect them to protect and protect them no matter what. Seeing that you, as a parent, can cope with this situation is important for them to have confidence in life and prevents the formation of anxiety.
If your child is afraid or has a lot of anxiety; Understanding his/her feelings is very important in order to feel understood. Children are curious and learn by asking questions. In the face of these questions, they say things like "don't exaggerate that much", "there is nothing to be afraid of", "you are a big kid, don't act like that", etc. Instead of statements, it is important to understand your child's feelings, calm his/her anxiety, and give sincere and truthful answers to the questions he asks by saying "I do not know the answer to this question, but I will research it from the right sources and share it with you" when he asks a question you do not know.
Schools being closed and having to stay at home; It creates problems for many children who want to socialize. Based on the flu example, it should be stated that it is for precautionary purposes against the danger of disease, and the necessity of staying at home for a while both to protect ourselves and not to infect other people should be explained.
Underlining that paying attention to personal hygiene is important to avoid catching this virus; with children of younger age groups It is important to do this by turning it into a game, paying attention to sleep hours, increasing in-home activities, seeing this process as a holiday and taking care to study regularly instead of watching television all day or playing on the phone or tablet, in order not to disrupt the daily life routine.
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