Melvin S. Rosh, MD, FAAP
Every parent wants to protect their loved ones from contracting the COVID-19 virus and preventing the spread of the disease to others. Children appear to handle the disease far better than adults. Many people will contract the disease but will not show any symptoms. The only evidence to indicate they were infected, is the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in their serum.
COVID-19 pandemic will change our lives forever. Indeed, the world has seen many horrendous situations in the past, such as epidemics, pogroms, racial extermination, and other horrific events, but in each case, mankind has survived, and there is no reason why we will not survive this plague.
Because of COVID-19, many people find themselves sequestered in their homes with their families; isolated from the outside world. Many adults are unable to go to work and have become stay-at-home parents. Likewise, many children no longer are able to attend school or have the opportunity of playing with their playmates.
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For years, I have tried to foster instructing children in management skills. Parents need to equip their children with the necessary knowledge of how to handle situations of potential danger. It is important to teach children self-esteem and self-confidence; teach children what to do when bullied, discriminated or sexually molested; teach children how to manage relationships with friends and, as an adult, with their significant other; teach children ways to ward off illnesses; teach children how to avoid drug addiction and many other necessary life-protecting skills.
Now that families are sequestered and isolated in their homes because of the present pandemic, parents have the opportunity of getting to know their children better … getting to know their strengths, their weaknesses, their feelings and insecurities, their needs and their desires. To achieve these ends, I have suggested periodic family meetings during which the parents and children discuss topics of interest, openly and honestly. Young children are encouraged to join the group with the rest of the family and participate whenever they have something to say.
Children must learn that all family members must trust and confide in each other, and anything that is discussed amongst the family must remain confidential and not disclosed to others outside of the family. Topics to be discussed should be mainly explored by the children, with the adults contributing to the session only to add pertinent information or to direct a conversation in the right direction. A free e-manual, Preparing Children for the Future, gives parents the tools to conduct a knowledgeable discussion and can be requested on the email address of AskDrMel@yahoo.com. A hard copy can be obtained through the Amazon book store.
This 200-page book explores most areas of life management skills and guides the family in exploring many topics in which children should be knowledgeable and what they should do if they find themselves in precarious situations, such as drug addiction or sexual abuse. The book has an Index and Table of Contents to locate the pages that a particular situation is discussed. The family members read the applicable paragraph, page or chapter, followed by an in-depth discussion of the topic. Children should be the main contributors to the discourse. Adults need only direct the conversation to make sure the group arrives at a suitable conclusion.
At the present time, the current pandemic of COVID-19 should be the first topic to be battered around by the family. Children must be made familiar with the knowledge of infectious diseases; what causes them; what to do to prevent their spread; why in this COVID-19 epidemic must there be social separation from their friends, their grandparents, and other people. If the family participants cannot answer a question or wish to know how to handle a difficult situation, they can always research the topic on the internet or contact me directly on my email address. By the end of the discussion, children should be well informed about a subject and should understand what they should do if they ever find themselves in a similar situation.
Spending quality time with children is very important. At the present time, with so many parents not going to work because of the pandemic in which we find ourselves, there is no excuse why parents do not give their children the time that they deserve. Instituting family discussion sessions is a great tool for giving your child the necessary skills to deal with potential problems that they may encounter later in life.
If giving important life-saving information to our children saves anyone from addiction, physical and sexual abuse, discrimination, bullying and other situations of danger, then the art of parenting will have taken an important step forward and will place our children on a path of achieving a successful and rewarding life.
Melvin S. Rosh, MD FAAP
“Dr. Mel” is a Pediatrician who has always championed the needs of children. He is a graduate of Cornell–Weill Medical School and the author of medical and lay articles as well as numerous podcasts.
Comments and queries should be addressed to AskDrMel@yahoo.com.