Common Sense Media Tip of the Week
This week, Common Sense Media shares tips on how to talk to your children about the coronavirus.
Whenever there's a natural disaster of any kind—from earthquake to illness—it can be hard to inform our kids in ways that are appropriate for their age, that maintain the truth, and that calm their anxieties. The coronavirus (COVID-19) presents us with that challenge.
It's especially hard when a crisis is unfolding, so we can't tell our kids the answers to all their questions. What we can tell them is what we know so far from trusted sources like the CDC. And NPR has a great resource just for kids . Because kids pick up on what we say and do—even when we think they're not listening—we need to be careful about our own reactions and the messages we're conveying. If they're in school, ask them what they already know so you can set them straight on any rumors they may have seen, read, or heard. And if your kid has a phone, remind them not to share every headline they see, as that can spread misinformation. And finally, while it's important to stay informed, having the news on all the time or scrolling endlessly through bad news affects us all negatively, so make sure to take breaks and spend some time relaxing and having fun together.
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It's especially hard when a crisis is unfolding, so we can't tell our kids the answers to all their questions. What we can tell them is what we know so far from trusted sources like the CDC. And NPR has a great resource just for kids . Because kids pick up on what we say and do—even when we think they're not listening—we need to be careful about our own reactions and the messages we're conveying. If they're in school, ask them what they already know so you can set them straight on any rumors they may have seen, read, or heard. And if your kid has a phone, remind them not to share every headline they see, as that can spread misinformation. And finally, while it's important to stay informed, having the news on all the time or scrolling endlessly through bad news affects us all negatively, so make sure to take breaks and spend some time relaxing and having fun together.
Cathedral School for Boys
Located in San Francisco, California, Cathedral School for Boys is an independent elementary school for boys in Kindergarten – Grade 8. Our mission is to provide an excellent education through intellectual inquiry and rigor that is centered in the Episcopal tradition and is respectful of and welcoming to people of all religious traditions and beliefs.
1275 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94108 • Phone: 415.771.6600 • Email: info@cathedralschool.net • Fax: 415.771.6601