Last updated: June 2, 2020
The information in this post was adapted from materials developed by the IRC’s Program Quality and Innovation unit.
This blog post offers tips on how to help families cope during the COVID-19 crisis. Helping children begin to develop coping skills in response to COVID-19 stressors can not only help them get through this volatile time, but also positively manage feelings during uncertain times in the future. For more general recommendations on supporting your clients during this difficult time, see Helping Refugee Clients Cope During the COVID-19 Crisis.
As you work to support your clients, also be aware of your own stress and needs. Utilize resources for you own self-care and seek support from friends, family, and colleagues. To learn more, see Switchboard’s blog series Wellbeing for Service Providers During COVID-19.
Children Respond to Stress and Worry in Different Ways
Children may have changes in emotions and behaviors during isolation and as their normal schedules are interrupted, including by not going to school, spending time in crowded homes, and engaging less frequently with friends and other trusted people outside of the home. Children may be more clingy, anxious, angry, or agitated. They may regress to bedwetting, not being able to sleep through the night, or other behaviors from previous developmental stages. Encourage parents to respond in supportive ways by listening, comforting, and reassuring children they are safe.
- The World Health Organization (WHO), Helping Children Cope with Stress During the 2019-nCoV Outbreak – This short document uses images and text to convey useful tips. Similar information available on the WHO website in Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Russian. Additional English language posters available here.
- The Parent Network of Western NY, Introduction to Mental Health – These 2015 videos are designed to help parents have a conversation about mental health with their children. Available in Arabic, Burmese, English, French, and Nepali.
Suggestions to Share with Parents
Parents should share accurate, age-appropriate information with their children. Younger children require simpler messages with more reassurance, while older children may be able to manage more complex information. Resources include:
- The National Association of School Psychologists, Talking to Children about COVID-19 –This is a resource page for parents available in Amharic, Bahasa, English, Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
- MindHeart, COVIBOOK – This downloadable book was developed for children ages seven and younger to provide basic information about the virus and to help children recognize and discuss emotions related to the situation. It is available in Arabic, Egyptian Arabic, Danish, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish.
- National Public Radio, Just for Kids: A Comic about the Coronavirus – This downloadable comic is available in English and Chinese.
Encourage parents to be flexible about expectations as more anxiety may equal more emotional dysregulation. Change and stress may bring about more problematic behaviors that require patience and reassurance rather than punishment.
Limit media and television coverage of the pandemic as children may misinterpret what they hear or be frightened about things they don’t understand.
Engaging in normal routines like eating, sleeping, and bathing at regular times is helpful in reducing children’s stress and anxiety. Encourage parents to keep to regular schedules as much as possible and be a role model in healthy behavior.
Parents should spend extra time with children, including allowing for time for fun and play. Many resources can be found online to help families comfort each other and have fun together:
- Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies, COVID-19 Distance Learning Resources – This resource list includes tools and strategies for parents, schools and service providers to provide education during times when schools are closed. Resources are available in many languages, including Arabic, English, French, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Nepali, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, and more.
- Sesame Workshop:
- Caring for Each Other (English), Sesamo (Spanish and Portuguese), and Ahlan Simsim (Arabic) – These pages provide interactive games and videos families can enjoy together.
- Comfy-Cozy Nest – This book, available in English and Spanish, is designed for children who have experienced crises and may have overwhelming feelings associated with their experiences. The book is available in downloadable format and in hard copy, and is accompanied by a coloring page and an interactive game.
- Let’s Play – This bilingual Spanish/English activity book is designed for young children in crisis situations. The book recognizes the important roles of play and movement in wellness for children. Available in downloadable format and in hard copy, it contains drawing, matching, moving, talking and writing activities that children can do with caregivers or other supportive adults and children in their lives. Many of the activities are particularly relevant for children whose daily routines have been interrupted, who are in isolation, or who may not be able to interact with people and places they are used to visiting.
Additional Resources
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – This tip sheet aims to help parents and caregivers think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect their family, both physically and emotionally, and what they can do to help their family cope.
- The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), Briefing Note about Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) aspects of COVID-19 – This document includes guidance on how to help children deal with stress, among other topics. Available in English, Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Arabic.
- Fred Rogers Center, Talking with Children about Coronavirus and Caring for Children and Yourself. These English-language resources provide ideas for parents as they decide what to do and what to say when helping children during uncertain times like this COVID-19 crisis.
- New! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), , Child Care, Schools, and Youth Programs, Caring for Children, Helping Children Learn at Home, and Help Stop the Spread of COVID-19 in Children. These pages include information for parents, schools, and youth programs, among other topics. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Vietnamese, and Korean.
