HOW OUR KIDS ARE COPING WITH COVID-19

In our continuing coverage of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, Sarina Fazan takes a closer look at how this pandemic is affecting our children. She talks to seven Tampa Bay area kids, ranging from a second-grader to a high school freshman, about their thoughts on the virus and its impact on their lives.

Most of these kids left school before spring break, not knowing that they wouldn’t return to their classrooms. With the closure of brick-and-mortar schools, children are having to adapt to virtual learning and the challenges that come with it. Kids are missing their friends, in addition to dealing with the disappoint of cancelled sports programs and end-of-the-year activities. Social distancing and stay-at-home measures have also changed the way that children play and socialize with each other. It’s a lot for a child to handle, so it’s no wonder many of our kids are feeling increased anxiety and stress.

 If you have children, it’s important to answer their questions honestly and in a developmentally appropriate way. Make sure that you are calm when you talk to them, which will set the tone for their response. Focus on what your family is doing to stay safe and how the children can participate in safety measures, such as handwashing or wearing a mask. While this is an uncertain time for all of us, make sure to be as reassuring as possible and to encourage them to keep talking to you. Whether or not our children realize it now, this will be an important chapter in the stories of their lives.