Top 10 Tips for Easing Your Child’s Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic
MUSC professor and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Rochelle F. Hanson shares expert advice for parents:
Establish a daily routine. Having a set, structured routine helps children feel a sense of safety and stability. Involve them in setting up the schedule and post it in a visible place, such as on the front of the refrigerator.
Pay attention to safety precautions, such as handwashing for 20 seconds (singing the “Happy Birthday” song two times), coughing or sneezing into a tissue or your elbow, and keeping your hands off your face. Remember, you are a role model for your children.
Explain that social distancing really means “physical” distancing—or staying at least six feet apart from people outside of the family. While they can’t have friends come over to the house to play or hang out, this doesn’t mean total social isolation from friends and loved ones. Find ways to connect with others through Facetime, texting, or a good old-fashioned phone call. Schedule virtual playdates for your children and encourage your teens to schedule social times as well.
Limit time spent watching the news and viewing social media. Pick one or two reputable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, or South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and check just a couple of times a day. For older children and teens, it is recommended that you watch the news together to provide an opportunity to share reactions, and answer questions that will likely arise. If you or your child is having difficulty sleeping at night, avoid doing this right before bedtime.
Schedule time for fun activities that do not involve screen time, such as storytime, karaoke night, family game nights, movie nights, or special meals prepared together. For more ideas, see NCTSN.org’s “Simple Activities for Children and Adolescents.”
Get outside and exercise: take a walk, have a catch, play soccer in the backyard. If the weather isn’t great, watch an exercise video or turn on some music and have a dance party!
Set time aside to provide information to your child that is age-appropriate and remember to leave ample time for questions. If you don’t know the answers to your child’s questions, let them know you’ll do your best to find them. Involve your children and search for answers together. It may be helpful to set aside time to meet one-on-one with your older children.
Try to be calm and supportive. Remember that children look to their parents to gauge how things are going.
With older children, it’s OK to admit to uncertainty. Things keep changing, which makes us all feel unsure and anxious. This is normal! Set aside time each day to try some relaxation or mindfulness activities that emphasize being in the moment. For example, you can practice slowly breathing—inhaling and exhaling, as if you were blowing out a candle.
Don’t forget to take time for yourself. Your children will look to you to help manage their anxiety and distress. Give yourself some breaks throughout the day. Reach out to friends. Recognize you cannot do it all, but acknowledge that you are doing the best you can.
Bonus Tip! Remember that we are all in this together. Remind your children that people are working around the clock to find ways to help deal with this virus.
Rochelle F. Hanson, Ph.D
Rochelle F. Hanson, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and professor at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center (NCVRTC), in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is Associate Director of Research and Director of the Family and Child Program at the NCVRTC and also serves as Director of the Training and Technical Assistance Division of the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center (NMVVRC), funded by the Office for Victims of Crime and Department of Justice. Throughout her career, Dr. Hanson has focused on understanding and responding to victims of traumatic events, as well as training professionals to provide effective treatments for children and families. Her research has been funded by federal agencies, such as the National Institute of Mental Health, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, and the Office for Victims of Crime, as well as private foundations.
