Talking To Children About COVID-19

A letter from your DMPS Counseling Staff

Dear Parents and Guardians of our DMPS students,

As school counselors, we want to encourage you to limit your children’s exposure to the media and remain calm about this issue with your children in order to help them address their fears.

Below are listed some resources from the American School Counselor Association website www.schoolcounselor.org to help you and your student understand COVID 19 and discuss it together.

Talking to children about COVID-19.
https://www.dmschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SAMHSA-Guidance-for-Children.pdf

Here is s short video of information from BrainPop.
https://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/coronavirus/

This video gives many details about the virus, and it can be translated into any language.
https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/

We know that we are off school, but if your family has had a tough time with changes or stresses, please be sure you or your student check in with your school counselors. We are always available by email, and we are here to help.

Please find additional resources to help cope with the impact of COVID-19 on your family.

DMPS Elementary School Counseling *Optional* *Resources for Social Emotional Learning* *(SEL)* *at Home*
Parent/Caregiver Resources
*Topic*	*Resource List*
Providing emotional support to children during a pandemic	Suggestions from the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress
Supporting mental health in a pandemic	Mental health tips from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Recommendations to support and protect children’s emotional well-being
Student & family Resources
*Topic*	*Resource List*
COVID-19 Social Stories: Helping children understand in kid-friendly terms	COVID-19 comic for kids by NPR Brain Pop- cartoon The Yucky Bug by Julia Cook Why can’t I go to school? (Create a free log-in to access. Translation available in 18 languages)
SEL Activities: Videos, games, challenges toolkits, and more to support social-emotional growth	Printable Tools and Activities from Conscious Discipline (Create a free account to access some resources) Sesame Street in Communities- interactive resources SEL Passport Challenge from Second Step The Imagine Neighborhood- a podcast for children and families to grow their SEL skills Howard B. Wigglebottom- animated SEL books Harmony at Home by Sanford Harmony- SEL toolkit (Create a free account to access)
Calming Strategies: Videos, activities, and exercises to foster mindfulness	Mind Yeti- research-based guided mindfulness video sessions Good Energy at Home by GoNoodle- movement, yoga, and mindfulness videos/activities Bingo for Calm and Connection
Websites: Access to a variety of SEL information and resources	Please Pass the Love- resources for youth, families, and schools Iowa Department of Education- helpful resources for social, emotional, and behavioral health