How to protect your family
- How to protect your family
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, but there are things you can do to help keep your family healthy.
- There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, but there are things you can do to help keep your family healthy.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Look for one that is 60% or higher alcohol-based. Keep your kids away from others who are sick and keep them home if they are ill.
- Teach kids to cough and sneeze into a tissue (make sure to throw it away after each use!) or to cough and sneeze into their arm or elbow, not their hands!
- Clean and disinfect your home frequently using regular household cleaning sprays or wipes.
- Avoid touching your face; teach your children to do the same.
- Practice social distancing and avoid any unnecessary travel.
2. Talk to children about COVID-19
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents and others who work with children to filter information and talk about the virus in a way children will understand.
- Provide reassurance. Reassure children that researchers and doctors are doing everything they can to combat the virus and are working extra hard to keep everyone safe.
- Watch for signs of anxiety. Remind your children of what they can do to help stop the spread of the virus. Encourage correct hand washing, to cough and sneeze into a tissue or their sleeves and to get enough sleep.
- Watch for signs of anxiety. Children may not have the words to express their worry, but you may see signs of it. They may get cranky, be more clingy, have trouble sleeping or seem distracted. Provide words of comfort and try to stick to your normal routines.
- Monitor their media. Keep young children away from disturbing images they may see on TV. For older children, talk with them about what they are seeing on the news and social media and correct any misinformation or rumors you may hear.
3. Safe and Healthy Ways to Keep Your Child Physically Active
Active Family Time We all need to find new ways to stay physically active while practicing social distancing recommendations. Now is a good time to get in a family workout. Pick an activity you can do with your children and avoid sending them outside to be active on their own.
Some ideas on how to be active together:
• Go to the soccer field. Go for a walk together, a cycle, a scoot.
• Take a walk around your neighborhood.
• Bring some chalk outside and draw hopscotch markings, have a game.
• Teach your child to skip, or have a skipping competition.
• Challenge your child to teach you a new skill or activity that they learned in school.
• Grab a soccer ball, football, basketball … any type of ball. Be creative. Throw it, bounce it, kick it: your child will come up with lots of ideas if you ask them.
• Be active in the house, too. There are lots of things you can do, from active video gaming to games like Twister. You can also visit GoNoodle – a popular website teachers use for integrating physical activity in the classroom.
• Remember to have fun and focus on activities that involve you and your child moving your whole bodies. This will give you heart health and skill development benefits. Again, you can do this indoors, in the back yard or even better, in a large open green space such as a soccer field.
Let’s view this as an amazing opportunity to develop a positive physical activity relationship with your child. Something that will live and flourish long past this uncertain time. Be safe and remember to check in with your family members. We will get through this together!