With families staying at home to limit the spread of the coronavirus, both parents and children may experience loneliness, depression, isolation and anxiety. Our routines have been drastically interrupted, and our daily lives have been turned upside down. Children rely on their parents to provide a calm and supportive environment, especially in uncertain times. 

With all the ways the world has changed, many parents wonder how to talk about the coronavirus with their children in a calm and reassuring way. Dr. Howard Turney is a professor of social work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as well as a marriage and family therapist with more than 25 years of experience. Here are his tips for how to talk to your kids about the coronavirus.

 Tip #1: Talk to your children, and ask plenty of questions.

Allow your children to express themselves so that, as a parent, you can clarify any misunderstandings they might have about the current crisis. In your conversations, give them space to elaborate on their experience of the world and validate their safety and the security you provide them. Reassure them that you will keep them from harm. 

Tip #2: Parents need to tune into their children’s mental health. 

Paying attention to changes in behavior is important. Children’s mental health may not manifest itself in the same manner as adults. That is why we have to pay close attention to alterations in their behavior and be ready to address these with our children. Young children may act out when expressing emotions over a lack of clarity about what is happening in the world around them.

Tip #3: Keep the lines of communication open by limiting the time that your child is exposed to television and technology.

During times of instability in the world, children feel more secure knowing they have an adult to talk to, especially when they are being bombarded with so much news about the coronavirus. Using television, movies and video games as a babysitter leaves a child feeling unimportant in a time when so many of the conveniences of our lives have been turned upside down. Be sure to schedule regular check-ins with your kids as part of your new daily routine.

Tip #4: Parents should examine their expectations of their kids. 

Remember that their lives face the same turmoil as adults. Attune your approach to parenting and talking to your children in a way that nurtures your child’s ability to cope with issues much bigger than they are. Some children may regress in the face of stress, but that is a normal occurrence. By creatively responding to your children, you can provide a loving environment that creates a sense of security that gives children confidence and hope. 

Tip #5: Structure and consistency are hallmarks of good parenting. 

With schools closed, the new normal has taken parents to a unique and challenging relationship with their kids. Parents are now their teachers. Turning the family room or kitchen into a classroom disrupts the flow of previous household routines. Create new daily routines with your children and discuss why the tasks are important. Provide patience and understanding when you communicate with your kids so that they can adapt to new situations. 

Dr. Howard Turney, a professor in the School of Social Work at UA Little Rock, graduated from Florida State University with a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy. He has more than 25 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families. His areas of expertise include family matters, couples, depression, anxiety, mental illness and mental health.

To learn more about the resources available for counseling at UA Little Rock or the School of Social Work, visit UALR.edu/counseling or https://ualr.edu/socialwork/about/.