How to Talk to your Kids about Fears & the Coronavirus

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT FEARS & THE CORONAVIRUS

YOU’VE GOT THIS

Most nights, our family gathers together for family time. Some nights we shoot baskets on the Over the Door basketball hoop. Other times we talk about school, some random YouTube videos, or thoughts on God. Our sons, 11 and 14, are usually moving all-around and talking up a storm, developmentally appropriate for middle school boys.

But the last two nights have been quite different as they lay eerily still quietly looking to us for something, anything, to help make sense of what is happening in their world. I look into their eyes and I see the fear and anxiety mounting. My 14-year-old whispers, Mom, this is all so crazy. I think to myself, yes, son, it is.

My husband, Jeremy, and I spent the rest of family time in an on-going conversation to help them process their fears about the Coronavirus in developmentally appropriate ways. We will continue to do so as long as it is needed. As we do, we also think of you, the church leaders.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

You, as a church leader, are looking into the eyes of your family, and, at the same time, have church families looking to you as well. We want you to know you are not alone at this moment. The LORD God, the One who closed the mouths of the lions and raised Christ from the dead, is the One we all share as Father, Wisdom, and Peace. We are in this together as a Bride and a People- the Church.

On behalf of you, we talk with Him and ask Him to grant you resolve, strength, hope, direction, and peace as you lead your family, parents, and church families. We, our staff at Ministry to Parents, care for you greatly. If you need help, prayer, or encouragement, please do not hesitate to email us at info@ministrytoparents.com.

Below we share with you some articles we find helpful for parents to use in conversations about the Coronavirus. We also offer a free M2P Member Resource on How to Deal with Fears (Kids & Youth Edition). Use these articles and resources to send to parents for encouragement and hope. If you know of any other articles or resources we can add to this article, please email them to info@ministrytoparents.com.

We are thinking and praying for you as you lead both at home and at church.

Partnering with You,

Elisabeth Lee & the M2P Staff

HELPFUL ARTICLES

Coronavirus Anxiety: Here’s How to Talk to Your Kids about the Outbreak Fox News (by Sissy Goff)

How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus NYT Parenting (by Jessica Grose)

Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019: Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children CDC.gov

How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus PBS Parenting (by Deborah Farmer Kris)

Crisis Leadership, Christian Leadership and the Coronavirus Epidemic by Carey Nieuwhof

Coronavirus Disease 2019: How your Church and Children’s Ministry can respond Ministry-to-Children.com (by Tony Kummer)

Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus Child Mind Institute (by Rachel Ehmke)

Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus NPR (Malaka Gharib)

M2P FREE RESOURCE

Here are two free resources from our M2P Membership that you can use to give parents so they can find the words to use when helping their kids with fear. Click on the image to download and email straight to parents.

PARENT CHEAT SHEET: Dealing with Fears Youth Edition by Dan Istvanik

PARENT CHEAT SHEET: Dealing with Fears Kids Edition by Dan Istvanik

HELP PARENTS HAVE FUN WITH THEIR KIDS AT HOME

Here are two free resources created by a church leader who wanted to help families create some memories while they are social distancing.

Who created this?

Rachel Shanower, Social Media & Marketing Administrator at Grace Brethren Church of Middlebranch in Ohio. My husband is the Youth Ministry Coordinator and I volunteer and help him with our church’s youth ministry, not only through social media graphics, but also building relationships and instilling real truth & value to our teens.

Thanks to Rachel for offering these resources as a gift to church leaders!

CORONAVIRUS CHALLENGE by Rachel Shanower