According to Damour, children, even teenagers, are likely to lose much of the physical contact they are used to, contact that cannot be replicated through Zoom or WhatsApp Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of programs and content at Sesam, says kids learn a lot about coping with adversity by paying attention to adults. To help children calm down, parents need to calm down, too, she says. In addition to the obvious requirement of switching screen time to physical activity, there are some brain exercises, such as replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Your kids may no longer have time to socialize with friends and family. Joy Osofsky, a professor at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, says her grandchildren, who live outside the United States, call her every morning on their way to school to play online games together. In a recent report, investigators interviewed 46 teens in California and found that the teens reported a great sense of loss, similar to a stage of mourning. It may seem uncomfortable or trivial, but practicing intentional attention and positivity can also help children and parents. Children of all ages – and their parents – are more likely to be able to relate to each other. Odd, yes, but it’s a way for kids to visualize the little drops they spill, even when they’re not sick. “Kids aren’t usually very sick with this virus,” says Dr. H. Keep this in mind and don’t suppress physical affection: hugs, pillow fights, strands of hair, that sort of thing. If you have older kids or teens, go ahead: encourage them to spread the word. So we talked to the experts and got five tips to help your kids do just that. If you have young children, you can explain the spread of coronavirus by comparing your mouth to a bottle of insecticide. But, says “she,” they can still help keep others from getting sick by wearing masks and keeping a social distance.