A Kid’s Guide to Coronavirus - 14

this is not a helpful approach, as it confuses
children about why they are feeling what they are
feeling. It can also lead them to feel ashamed for
feeling sad about missing vacation. If you would
like to teach your child to reflect on what they
have to be grateful for, make a family practice of
writing down "gratitudes" or discussing what you
are each thankful for over dinner. By doing this
when your child is calm rather than feeling sad
or fearful, you teach them that their "gratitudes"
are things to feel uncomplicated joy about, rather
than guilt or confusion.

Focus on the Present Moment
Worried brains tend to focus on the future,
predicting all of the scary things that might
happen. Teach your child how to gently bring
their mind back to the present moment by
practicing mindfulness. Being mindful simply
means that you are purposefully paying attention
to the present moment without judging it as
good or bad. Mindfulness can be practiced in
countless kid-friendly ways. For example, you can
play a mindful "I spy" in which you count all of
the objects of a certain color in the space around
you. You can mindfully eat, dance, walk, listen to
music - the sky is the limit! Build times into the
day to practice, such as in transition periods or
at meals.

Create a New Routine
It can feel next to impossible to maintain a
routine during the quarantine. Yet, flexibly
following a consistent plan day-to-day provides
much-needed stability for your young child. This
is particularly important given that their world

has changed dramatically in a short time. Routines
do not have to be complicated. For example, it
can be helpful to just structure the day around
basic needs such as wake-up times and bedtimes,
meals, and periods in which you get active.
Constructing a routine around these building
blocks of physical and mental health makes it
more likely that they will occur consistently.
Consider giving your child age-appropriate
tasks to help the family, such as setting the table,
helping to prepare food, or cleaning up after
a meal. Though teaching your child a new skill
takes more effort and attention in the short
term, it will make your life easier (and increase
your child's level of independence and sense of
competence) in the long term.

Create Memories
Look for opportunities to create new, special
family rituals. These do not have to be time
consuming or involve preparation. For example,
you can jump-start your days with a family dance
party in which a different family member chooses
a song each day and everyone dances around the
breakfast table. You might also help your children
brainstorm ways that they can give back to their
community, such as writing cards for the elderly
or creating supportive signs for health-care
workers. When your children look back on this
time, they will remember that, despite the many
challenges, the time at home also allowed your
family to create memories together.

Put the Oxygen Mask on Yourself First
Whenever you can, pause and take a moment or
two to check in on yourself and your emotions.
A Kid’s Guide to Coronavirus

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of A Kid’s Guide to Coronavirus
