RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON COVID-19
Because we care for our students, ourselves, and our community, we thought it would be useful to share some resources. During times of uncertainty, our students might be hearing things that bring about fear and worry. Please remember that our children are looking to us for reassurance and cues about how to react and respond. It is with that in mind that we hope these resources provide some helpful strategies.
Creating open and safe spaces for communication between adults and children is key. We are models for showing our ability to stay resilient, calm, and positive.
Many of the suggestions that follow are good practices in general, and might also serve to strengthen bonds in your family. Many of the suggestions below are from this article by a mental health professional in Singapore.
- Turn off screens for several hours a day to engage in exercise, reading, walking outdoors, or other hobbies (singing and dancing work well too!).
- Increase your connection with loved ones by spending time together and expressing affection.
- Engage in activities that develop our equanimity (calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation), such as yoga, mindfulness, and meditation.
- Assert control where it will be useful such as routinizing new social patterns of washing hands, keeping hands from touching our faces and keeping a measured distance from others when possible.
- Identify what can be controlled and implement measures to control them. Identify things that can’t be controlled and let those things go.
Avoiding Stigma
Our words matter, and so it is important to be aware of how COVID-19 is explained to children to avoid any person/group being blamed. Communicate that if someone has a fever or cough, or is from an affected area or region, it does not mean this person definitely has COVID-19.
This document from Unicef and WHO has some useful “Dos and Don’ts” regarding language. Use clear language that builds trust and creates empathy. For most people, this is a disease that can be overcome, so avoiding terms like “plague” and “apocalypse” is useful. Instead, talk about the practical measures we can take to keep ourselves, our loved ones, and vulnerable communities safe. For example, DO talk about people “acquiring” or “contracting” COVID-19. Don’t talk about people “transmitting COVID-19” “infecting others” or “spreading the virus” as it implies intentional transmission and assigns blame.
Here are some resources and helpful links referenced above
International School Counseling Association Resources for Parents
CDC Share the Facts, Stop Fear
How to Talk to Your Anxious Child
Avoiding Social Stigma Associated with COVID-19