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Children will have heard about Coronavirus and it is important that they hear the key messages from someone they trust such as yourself. Here are some tips to help.
- Time to Come in Bear Video Story for young children
- 10 Top Tips for Parents and Carers
- Illustrated Stories
- Information for Teenagers
- Some Helpful Links
Time to Come in Bear video story for young children
10 Top Tips for Parents and Carers
Guidance for parents and carers in the event of school closure due to Coronavirus
The situation we find ourselves in is unprecedented, and we are all working out how to process and deal with the practical and emotional impacts.
Children and Young People look to adults to help them work out the seriousness and ways of dealing with challenging situations. They will be looking at and learning from your response(s). Seeing you staying calm and resilient will be crucial in helping them feel reassured, contained and able to cope with the circumstances.
It is very important to maintain structure and routine for your child whilst schools are closed. Below are some tips that will help you to maintain your child’s health and well-being.
- Reassure children that they are safe, but that it is ok to be upset
Provide opportunities for children to be honest about their feelings. Listen and explore these questions with them. We need to help children understand their feelings and emotions, by using emotion language and giving them an emotional vocabulary, we are enabling them to understand their feelings and other peoples
- Maintain a normal routine
Set times for getting up and going to bed for your child and have regular times for meals
- Build in time for fresh air and exercise as far as this is possible
Exercise releases natural hormones which helps us respond to stress and anxiety
- Structure your child’s day so that they have a variety of activities and break times
Create a menu of activities that your child can do during the day
- Make a daily plan of activities
Plan these with your child the night before so that you and your child know what is happening the next day
- Review the day’s activities and talk about what they have done
A sense of accomplishment is important for children and young people
- Make Monday to Friday different
Make sure that there is a structure and routine to activities Mon-Fri similar to a normal school day. Also, make sure that the weekend remains the weekend!
- Decide when and for how long your child will have access to electronic devices and for what purpose
Agree with your child how long they can spend on electronic devices and for what purpose – learning or leisure. It’s important to have a positive balance.
- Place an emphasis on resilience and strengths
Help your child to understand their many strengths and abilities to help them cope if they are feeling anxious or upset. Encourage opportunities for your child to maintain social contact with friends wherever possible – via phone, social media etc.
- Look after yourself
During times of stress we are more vulnerable to illness. Make time to do things that help you feel calm and build this into your own routine.
Remember that your child will be learning from your response to handling this situation. Seeing you staying calm and resilient will be crucial to helping them cope with the circumstances.
Illustrated Stories
Sometimes it’s easier to tell a story with pictures. Below are two beautifully illustrated stories to help your younger children understand Coronavirus and self-isolation.
Click to download Dave the Dog is worried about coronavirus pdf
Information for Teenagers
Click here to download Helping children cope with stress during the 2019-nCoV outbreak
Tips for Teens
Click here to download a pdf with hints and tips for talking about the coronavirus with teenagers
Some helpful links
SAMH - Scottish Mental Health
There are things we can do to look after our mental wellbeing during this time. On this page, we are gathering the information, links and resources that we can, to help keep you informed and protect your mental health. Click to read more… https://www.samh.org.uk/about-mental-health/self-help-and-wellbeing/coronavirus-and-your-mental-wellbeing
Young Scot
Find out more about what's happening and the simple steps you can take to help prevent catching COVID-19 and spreading to others. Also find out more about what you can do if you are feeling anxious and worried, and how you can support others in your community. Click to read more… https://young.scot/campaigns/national/coronavirus
Scottish Qualification Authority
Scottish Qualification Authority is working closely in partnership with Colleges Scotland in these unprecedented times. We are working together to recognise learner achievement in as fair a way as possible. Click to read more… https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/93717.html
Centre for Disease Control
Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the community you live in. Click to read more… https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html
Mental Health Europe
Good mental health and positive wellbeing can help you better cope with the COVID-19 threat and the uncertainty it’s creating. There are many ways to keep a sense of control in order to ease coronavirus anxiety. Click to read more… https://www.mhe-sme.org/covid-19/
Mind
This might feel difficult or stressful. But there are lots of things you can try that could help your wellbeing. This information is to help you cope. Click to read more... https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/