For almost two months, the coronavirus has been affecting China, then the whole world drastically.  We have relatives and friends in China, and many countries.  That’s why we never stopped paying attention on what’s going on every single day.

Now Serbia has already had 19 confined cases, yesterday WHO acclaimed that it is pandemic.  However,  nobody around seems to worry enough . Nobody wears masks outside and all events still going on.

I am a bit scared due to being on top of all the news and status, we decided to move to a smaller town instead of staying in Belgrade the beginning of April. On a daily basis, I still take girls out, but avoiding peak time in crowded space.

There are a few things that we as parents, need to be aware when communicating with kids on this special occasion.

Teach kids to wash their hands properly and not to touch face when outside

The expert said that normal soap can kill the virus.  So wash hands for 20 seconds, not less. My elder daughter sometimes just  leave soap in for 1 second, I then ask her to redo it.  We also bought  hand sanitizers  which kept in my bag, giving them to use each time after playground.

Ask them what they know and what they don’t understand.

Sometimes children may not mention things they’re afraid of, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worried. It’s always a good practice to allow kids the opportunity to talk about what scares them.

Don’t dismiss your child’s fears.

While it’s important not to plant fears in their minds they don’t already have, it’s equally important to recognize and honor that they may be feeling anxious about what they’ve heard about coronavirus, either at school, on the news, or from friends.

Clear up misconceptions.

Like everything else. Be honest. It’s important to share the truth with your kids and clear up misinformation  and give them most comfort (trust me, they can sense it).

Stay calm.

Kids aren’t the only ones affected by the news. If you’re feeling panicked about the potential for an outbreak and all the scary unknowns, do everything you can to process your anxiety in healthy ways and do your best to stay positive and confident in the presence of your children.

Give them enough love.

Older kids, especially, may not know to ask for physical reassurance, so why not give them a good, reassuring hug every day, or cuddle on the couch in front of a funny movie or good book from time to time.

Let us keep our children and ourselves safe in this trying period.