Keeping Calm During the Covid 19 Crisis

We hope you are all staying safe and healthy! We wanted to reach out given the challenges we are all facing to keep our families safe and keeping calm during the covid 19 crisis. It is difficult to stay self-quarantined for days on end, especially with kids! Parents are left without clear guidance as to the best way to structure their day-to-day life — How and when should I talk about the coronavirus with my child(ren)? How do I keep my kid(s) busy? How do I take care of myself?  Here are some resources that we hope answer some of your questions and/or help you to cope during these uncertain times:

Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

At this time, information about COVID-19 is rapidly evolving as new details are confirmed and new questions emerge. In the event of an outbreak in your community, as a parent/caregiver, your first concern is about how to protect and take care of your children and family. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce your stress and help calm likely anxieties. This resource will help you think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect your family-both physically and emotionally-and what you can do to help your family cope.

Keeping Your Crew Occupied During the COVID-19 Shutdown

We are all in new, unchartered territory with COVID-19 shutdowns across the nation. It’s easy to feel a bit of panic hovering at the back of our throats thinking about extreme social distancing with kids who thrive on the routine and structure of a school week. We’ve pulled together a list of resources and ideas for keeping your family occupied and connected during the COVID-19 shutdown. We tried to find sites and links that won’t require a ton of singular attention, as many of us are also trying to work from home.

Avoid Cabin Fever With These 125 Ideas to Keep Kids Entertained During the Coronavirus Crisis

How can you keep kids entertained during the coronavirus crisis? Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent or you’re living that work from home life right now, there are plenty of ways to keep the whole family from going stir-crazy. In fact, here are 125 ideas for kids to avoid cabin fever during the coronavirus pandemic.

How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus (PBS Kids)

I had thought my initial conversations with my kids about COVID-19 had been good enough. But with adults, kids at school and the news all hyper-focused on this coronavirus outbreak, my reassuring voice needed to be a little louder… A favorite Mister Rogers’ quote ran through my mind: “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting and less scary.” 

Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus

Kids, this comic is for you. It’s based on a radio story that NPR education reporter Cory Turner did. He asked some experts what kids might want to know about the new coronavirus discovered in China.

Adoption Center of Illinois is here to support you in any way we can. While most of our staff is working from home, we are always available to you via phone, email, and videoconferencing. Don’t hesitate to CONTACT US.

Pam joined Adoption Center of Illinois in July of 1991. She graduated from the University of Iowa where she earned her bachelor’s degree focusing on psychology, child development and counseling. Pam counsels expectant parents in northern, central and southern Illinois and says that after many years with the agency she still loves her job.