People often think that bringing up the difficult things that are happening can create more negativity. But what it actually does is give children permission to talk about their fears or concerns, and that helps them process those feelings. Every night at the dinner table, Nicole McCauley, LCSW and head of our Arkansas services, asks these three questions:

1. What was your favorite part of today?
2. What do you miss from before quarantine?
3. What are you looking forward to the most when quarantine is over?

“Kids often demonstrate anxiety and depression through somatic complaints,” Nicole added. “For example, your child may start complaining of tummy aches all of the time or headaches. One of the best things a parent can do is to help their child feel comfortable talking about how they are feeling by normalizing the situation and feelings. If they don’t want to talk about it, kids often love to draw and color pictures regarding how they feel.”