What and How Much to Share with Children, Teens about COVID-19

Connecticut schools are closed and the routines children and teens are used to have been disrupted. If they haven’t already, children and teens will be asking questions about the coronavirus that is causing the illness called COVID-19. Like many educators and parents, you probably wonder what you should tell them?

Two Harvard Health Blogs (Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, March 2020) written by contributing author Jacueline Sperling, PhD are excellent resources to share with your school community to help you do just that. The blogs are: “How to talk to children about the coronavirus,” and “How to talk to teens about the new coronavirus”. Both of these blogs are filled with what and how much information children and teens need to know without causing anxiety or overwhelming them.

In addition, check out the Coronovirus Resource Center for information and suggestions from FAQ’s to how to stay safe and well, especially with the implementation of social distancing.