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COVID-19: Resources for Families

During these unprecedented times, many families are being asked to stay at home as much as possible and to practice social distancing. For families with children, quarantining together at home may create new opportunities and present new challenges as everyone adjusts to new schedules and rapidly changing news. The TIPPS Family and Child Development specialists have compiled resources on this page that may be helpful to Mississippi families who are quarantining with children.

How to practice social distancing with children

How to Talk to Children About the Coronavirus

  • Supporting Children During COVID-19: This resource from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network includes strategies for supporting children through the changes in daily life that have accompanied the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ways to Engage Your Children When Confined to the Home

  • Developmental Milestones: This guide from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information about milestones parents should look for as their children grow and develop. It includes activities that parents can do with their children to help them reach these milestones as they develop.
  • My Daily Journal: This template helps create a space for children to document and process their feelings each day while families are quarantining together.
  • Simple Activities for Children and Adolescents: This resource from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network includes ideas for activities for children without using screen time.
  • Tips for parents for Talking to Young Children about Illness.

Resources for families sheltering-in-place

Resources for Parents of Stressed Children

The pandemic has been a stressful experience for most of us. It has changed almost every part of our lives - who we see, where we go, what we do - and that change can cause anxiety for parents and children. Many children are no longer attending school and may be upset that they do not get to see their friends or goodbye to their teachers. Parents and children may be struggling to complete work and school tasks from home, which can lead to tension and conflict. One or more parent may also be without a job at this time, causing a shortage in money and adding to the level of stress in the home. Anxiety may also arise if we have family members or loved ones who may have contracted the virus, are hospitalized or have died due to complications with the virus. Even if children are young, they realize that something is not right and can feel the stress and tension of their parent(s). It is important for parents to recognize signs of anxiety in children and be prepared to have conversations with them about difficult topics such as illness and death in a way that is age appropriate.