What to say when tricky questions are asked about Coronavirus
Sometimes we are caught on the hop. Have you ever experienced the pressure of children asking an important question and not having the where-with-all to answer? At the moment with so much anxiety around the community, it would be quite normal for a child to ask questions around what is happening at the moment.
Here a series of responses that you may find helpful when answering questions by your child that are really about their security and emotional safety in these difficult times.
These are sentence starters that you may find useful.
12 sentence starters to help answer your child's questions about Coronavirus
That’s a good question. The virus will make people sick and we take precautions to keep ourselves feeling well.
Remember that even though we hear some sad stories that can make us frightened, I am here for you and will keep you safe. That’s my job.
Once we know more about how to treat the virus, we will be able to help people quickly.
We can help by listening to what the Government wants us to do. They are advised by experienced doctors.
Yes, everything seems to shut down and it all seems quieter. That is a good sign as we are saying “no” to the virus which spreads when we are too close.
Being a little scared is normal as this is something new and we are all learning about it. I am here to learn with you.
I can hear that you are anxious about the virus. Let’s sit down and talk about all the great things that are making us starting to control the virus.
I love the way you read the signs on the door of the shops. You are being so responsible.
Mummy and daddy are here for you and will give some guidance on how to be safe.
When you have any strong feelings just let me know and together, we can work on them.
I sometimes feel sad about the virus too. We can feel sad together and talk about how we will get on top of it.
We have to be a distance from people. At home we are family and can be close.
Keep in mind that children are focussed on the present, so the day to day situations are more prevalent in their mind rather than the future.
Be prepared for some questions and when answering give some reassurance and hope.
Smiling and maintaining a happy disposition make such a difference to a child who relies on you feeling secure. Your disposition and careful answering of questions will have a big impact on reducing stress.
“Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children”