How to explain what a national lockdown means to your children

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced more stringent measures in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus in South Africa. In his speech he outlines that South Africa will be on national lockdown for a period of 21 days with movements being only allowed for essential services workers and for all other citizens it will be for essential reasons. This he mentioned, will be implemented with the help of the army. As parents this is how we can support our children to understand these circumstances which we have never seen before:

Talk calmly

Even if you may be feeling anxious about the current circumstances that have been brought on by the spread of the virus and the actions the government is taking, keep calm and cool when explaining to your kids what is about to happen. This will ensure that they in turn don’t panic.

Explain the importance of these lockdown measures. Darby Saxbe, associate professor of psychology at the University of Southern California says, “Explain to your child why this is happening and that it’s for the good of all citizens. Give as much detail as age appropriate for your child. “Parents: When you tell your children to wash their hands, don’t just say they need to do it in order keep themselves or the family healthy.Tell them they need to wash their hands in order to keep everyone healthy, and explain why. Then maybe leave a note for an elderly neighbor asking if they could use any help.Germs, like love and care, move between us. Being aware of the former is a way to share the latter”.

Take intermittent breaks

Not only do you need to take regular alone time breaks as a parent you also need to manage your anxiety and your children’s anxiety by taking intentional breaks from following the news on the coronavirus. This will give both you and your children a mental break from the experience.

Create a sense of order

These are uncharted waters by create some structures by having a daily schedule for the family.  “While all kids are feeling nervous to some degree, those whose schools are canceled are likely to be extra unsettled. Kids thrive on stability and routine. When it goes away, it is up to parents to model how to cope. To survive, we all need to both commit ourselves to some sense of order, and at the same time, yield to the chaos” says Saxbe.

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