Helping Your Teens & Children Make Sense of What’s Happening.
Here are a few ideas:
Help them connect to LexCity Church Online Experiences
- Thursday at 7pm
- Sunday at 10 & 11:30am
KidCity.live is a custom program just for families and kids! We will broadcast it live before and after each of our weekend services on Thursdays and Sundays. Families, we encourage you to watch KidCity TV as a family and have fun with it!
LexCity YTH Online is broadcasting on Wednesdays at 7pm. Join for fun games online, some worship and teaching. Head to yth.online.church
On a More Practical Note:
Teach Hygiene.
Teach about hand-washing and trying not to touch your face. But acknowledge that habits can be hard to establish. “We can do hard things, if we support each other!”
Model Calmness.
The most important and impactful form of communication to your child/teen is your own behavior. Children tend to be perceptive and sensitive to the behavior of others in their surroundings. Carving a few minutes for yourself for mindful breathing pauses during the day may help you model calm for your child/teen.
Maintain Normalcy.
Significant changes to daily routines or schedules are stressful for children. Try incorporating routines and schedules as much as possible. Consistency is key. Create a plan for the day. (there seems to be quite a few circulating on social media right now)
Listen Actively & Validate.
Listen and acknowledge your child/teen’s feelings, worries, fears and questions about coronavirus. Show your child/teen that you are present and interested in hearing their thoughts and feelings. Be careful not to dismiss, invalidate, make fun of or reject their feelings. This is especially important for children as they rely on adults to make sense of their emotional experiences.
Know the Facts and make your message age appropriate.
Especially your teens – are likely to hear about the coronavirus anyway, so, do not shy away from approaching or discussing it. Be proactive in talking to your child/teen about facts in an age appropriate way. Find reliable information here.
Most important, take time to pray with them & memorize scripture .
Prompt them, “Are there good things that happened today that you want to thank God for? Is there anyone in our life who is hurting and needs God’s help that we should pray for?”
With so much love and prayers over our little and young ones,
-LexCity Church