Therapist Autumn Prior: How to Talk with Kids About the Coronavirus

We loved having Rock and Fox Show therapist Autumn Prior on the show. With this weekend's developments with the coronavirus, we thought it might be beneficial to have Autumn join us to talk about the best way to talk to our kids about COVID-19. She also gave some great tips on how the rest of us can battle through any anxiety we may be feeling during these uncertain times.

Autumn said that first of all, it is important for you to know that "your kids are watching you like a hawk. They know you well, so when you are not yourself they can tell very quickly. They might not have the words to express it, but they know when you are troubled."

She suggested letting your kids know that for most children, the coronavirus is a lot like a cold or the flu. Autumn admits that while that is a simplistic view of the disease, it is not important to get into the finer details with young children. She suggested letting the kids know that we are staying home and limiting our contact with other people to keep as many people healthy as possible.

For adults, Autumn stressed the benefits of spending time outside.

"Working and being outside, research has shown it reduces anxiety," she said.

"I try to look at the positive side of things and what is accurate," she said. "For example, I saw a post the other day that said 'Kids are home from school, many businesses are closed. What may seem like a time to panic might just be a gift for all of us to get some unexpected time to rest and reconnect with family.'"