Guide children about coronavirus appropriately

Guide your children about coronavirus appropriately

Coronavirus schools, which affect the whole world, are on the agenda of children as well as adults due to the holidays, the transition to distance education for a while, and changing life habits. In this process, it is very important for parents to inform children and support them emotionally in order not to negatively affect children psychologically.

How does the corona epidemic affect children?

Children react differently to events according to their age and personal characteristics. The pre-home child is directly affected by the emotions of those in the immediate vicinity. Since sleep, feeding, toilet habits can change in this period; the child may be restless and more dependent on parents, calm more difficult. The child who goes to the home can perceive the change of the layout as a holiday period. He feels the words of the elders, the excitement of the TV messengers, the anxiety around. He hears what is happening around, follows, and is exposed to more stimuli than expected. He asks questions, revives this newly heard painting in his games. You may hear discourses such as “Let's run away, we'll catch the corona and wear a mask on the toy”. Children who go to primary school can understand the words of disease, death, contamination, mask, protection, epidemic very well, and imagine the worst scenarios according to the anxiety and stimulus around. He usually asks plenty of questions to dispel his anxiety, or dives into distracting endeavors as if there are no problems. Watch funny videos, different game videos and play games over the internet.

What should we do before we tell children about the coronavirus?

First of all, we should be aware of our own concerns, correct knowledge and body language as adults. 

We should not be alarmed with the phone, every video, new information and suggestions. We should stop following programs on death, anxiety and discussion in an area with children in our homes. We should follow the sources that provide transparent and scientific information such as the World Health Organization, Scientific Solidarity Board and the Ministry of Health. As we ourselves do not believe everything in social media, we should also keep our school children away from information pollution.

As parents, we must plan the time at home, do productive work, and be motivated by forward-looking goals, hopes and skills. We do not yet know how long the process will take. It would be useful to establish a new order such that this is our lifestyle for a while. We need to organize our sleeping, eating, domestic work, home work, common entertainment, training time and places. Living active during daylight hours, sleeping on time (the hormone melatonin works at night, helps our immunity), exercising, trying-to-learn new things (cooking, knitting, a new language, drawing pictures, organizing cabinets-drawers, reading books, logging , watching documentaries, family activities, box games, editing old photographs…) will be good for us and our children.

How should we explain the coronavirus to kindergarten children?

It is enough to answer preschool children in a concrete, simple and as much as they ask. Details can confuse and scare them. For example, “yes, it makes people sick. Since the virus is so small, we cannot see it. Our house is clean and safe. Many places are safe, but I tell you what to do in unsafe situations. It is very easy to destroy viruses. We will wash our hands well with soap, singing, counting, or until our hourglass ends. We will wear a mask when going to crowded places, we will not put on our face, nose, mouth when our hands are dirty. This virus does not cause much disease in children. This virus travels elsewhere by hand if we touch dirty places. We can talk about soap, sprays that clean our hands and cologne. ”

How should we explain the coronvirus to primary school children?

First of all, we should start by listening to what the primary school child knows about the subject, what he hears and what he is wondering. It is not right to speak without understanding his real, scientific or imaginary knowledge, fears and concerns. Ask few basic questions like what is it, how much it is bad, how it spreads. How can we protect from this virus?".

How should order at home be for coronavirus?

People want their lives to be organized, under control, and their future to be safe. This issue is much more vital for children. Mental health is very important for a strong immune system and physical health.

Planning of sleeping hours, starting early in the morning, regular meal meals, physical activities, sunny fresh air if possible by paying attention to personal distance, music-dance, playing hours, screen and preferences, EBA and School TV hours, definition of responsibilities at home, regular work to be done it should be programmed by talking to children.

While more common activities, games, sleep, food, bath, screen hours are adjusted during the preschool period, more serious structuring is needed in school children.

Understand the child has an anxiety disorder against the coronavirus outbreak

Fear in children is a normal condition. Most of the day does not affect the time, why it is afraid is obvious, it is possible to control it, calm the child with rational explanations and attitudes. In the case of anxiety, concerns about the future increase and act as if the child was younger than his age. Sometimes there may be situations like excessive computer use, watching TV series, exaggerated eating, anorexia, sleep changes, physical symptoms (head, abdomen, joint pain, inability to breathe, nausea swallowing…), adhesion to adults, unnecessary irritation, crying, fastening attacks. . Sometimes, with anxiety attack, your child's heart rhythm can increase, sweating, fading, freezing behavior may occur.

In this case, the child should be approached as calmly and lovingly as possible. Discourses such as “Don't be silly, don't be afraid, nothing will happen to us, I'm bored anyway, are you a baby, shame, be sick, see your day, I'll be sick, cry behind you, you are a bad example to your brother…” should be avoided.

Imagine a moment where you feel safe and happy together, a place where you live, photographing that place, drawing a picture, going there again and talking about creating more beautiful memories provides good relaxation and relaxation. Hugging, caressing her hair, dreaming, talking about the past beautiful days and the future will bring peace.

What path should you follow if your child is anxious?

In the pre-school period, anxious child, for his relief, "Don't worry, the sickness is like flu in children. You remembered before? Did you remember? Our home is clean.

In children who go to school,

"This disease can cause some problems in those with serious illnesses and very old people. We are at home in order not to infect them. We know how to protect ourselves. Do you want to learn something new, renewed, knit, knit, I can teach a new game or learn something new together. " such discourses will work. In this process, by giving some responsibilities and duties, activities that children can use time and place with high quality can be done. "

In adolescence, young people generally do not like advice. They can close in the room and engage in long hours on the phone and computer. In this case, parents can affectionately tell their children whether they want a nice meal or they really need help. It would be appropriate to get the opinion of the adolescents and ask them to develop suggestions and plans for using the day.