This teachable moment could lead to talking about the importance of not having the water running while you are scrubbing your hands, to be environmentally conscious; how to best wash your hands in public restrooms; and why washing your hands with soap and water is better than using hand sanitizer. Further exploration might include disease control, the difference between bacteria and viruses, science experiments with petri dishes—the possibilities are endless.
The coronavirus is all over the news and social media, even in casual conversations, etc. It is necessary, of course, to disseminate information so that everyone is informed and prepared. Along with the facts concerning the virus, often come speculation and fear. While we as parents try to buffer the information that our gifted children are exposed to, they may develop a super-heightened awareness about the coronavirus, which may lead to overwhelming worry.
Gifted children have a tendency for intensity in all that they do. Worries are no exception. Their worries can shift a calm, relaxing moment into a moment filled with fear and anxiety.
Picture a relaxing morning full of anticipation as you sit down to eat breakfast in a lovely restaurant. The conversation with your young gifted child shifts from their friend’s cat to a computer-programming language to how they want to spend their next birthday (ten months away). Your meal arrives.
As ordered, the plate of scrambled eggs is placed in front of your child, who looks down with anticipation. In that split second, you watch their face change from happiness to terror. What could be wrong? Your mind darts to a myriad of possibilities, but you are without an answer. Your child looks up and locks eyes with you. You watch as tears begin to run streaming down their face. What could be the problem? You look at the plate and notice that the scrambled eggs look a little shiny—just a touch of moisture. And then it hits you. Your mind rushes back to a moment months ago when your child saw a political cartoon about a salmonella outbreak while researching political cartoons, which led your child to a deep-seated fear of food-borne illnesses.
You thought that the issue had been resolved months ago, after having had lots of discussion and giving reassurances. Everything was back to normal—until this moment. Your child was looking at, in their mind, undercooked eggs—eggs containing those foodborne illnesses.
Thankfully, once identified, this situation was easily addressed by speaking in calm tones, acknowledging their feelings and addressing their fears. After asking the server to have the eggs cooked a little more, the crisis was averted.
Dealing with fears around foodborne illnesses is just one of many examples of what may worry a gifted child. Currently, many students are concerned about the coronavirus. The intensity that gifted children possess can allow them to develop innumerable scenarios inside their head about the virus.
How can we as parents of gifted children help them through their thoughts and feelings? Here are some tips I refer to and suggest often at Athena’s Advanced Academy:
1. Know your child. The more you know your gifted child, the better. Understanding how your child perceives and interacts with the world around them can help you address their fears. Understanding their perceptions and their concerns/fears will help prepare you for discussions that will help them understand and deal with this current world health concern.
2. Keep calm. Children look to their trusted adults on how to react and act in uncertain situations; give them a model to look up to. When children are calm, they can approach situations rationally, with a level head. This will allow for more teachable moments.
3. Look for teachable moments. The current outbreak is an opportunity for learning—learning together.
Becoming aware of teachable moments often becomes second nature for homeschooling parents. When there is a lot of uncertainty, it can become more of a challenge. Learning about the disease is an obvious starting point. Learn the best ways to protect yourself and to prevent the disease from spreading. Share this information with your child in an age-appropriate way. This is where understanding and knowing your child becomes so important. Since every child is different, an approach that is suitable for one child may not be appropriate for another.
You have probably seen that the number one recommended tip to prevent the spread of the disease is to wash your hands. (A teachable moment might lead to learning about the history of washing one’s hands.) Washing hands goes beyond a simple scrub and rinse—there is an entire protocol on how to best wash your hands, which includes singing to a tune like the ABCs or “Happy Birthday” to make sure you’re washing long enough.
This teachable moment could lead to talking about the importance of not having the water running while you are scrubbing your hands, to be environmentally conscious; how to best wash your hands in public restrooms; and why washing your hands with soap and water is better than using hand sanitizer. Further exploration might include disease control, the difference between bacteria and viruses, science experiments with petri dishes—the possibilities are endless.
In addition to the above, parents can use this teachable moment to focus on good health. A simple search online brings up several studies showing that people with a strong immune system have a better chance of combatting viruses, including the coronavirus. Tips for creating a strong immune system have been heard before: eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep.
Unfortunately, these recommendations often fall by the wayside in our busy, day-to-day lives. Oftentimes we get end up grabbing a fast-food meal on the go, find ourselves sitting for hours on the computer, or we get caught up in what we’re doing and then don’t go to bed on time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends school age children get between nine to twelve hours of sleep per day. It is recommended that teenagers get between eight to ten hours of sleep, while adults should shoot for seven hours of sleep per twenty-four hour period.
Making the necessary changes to our routines may be a challenge. However, eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep are things we can do when we put our minds to it. Once these recommendations become a part of our routine, they are easier to stick to, especially if you are having fun while you do them. Remember to have fun!
Don’t make washing your hands, eating well, exercising, or getting enough sleep a chore. Make it fun for you and your kids! If they don’t enjoy singing “Happy Birthday” while they wash their hands, encourage them to sing a song that makes them want to sing at the top of their lungs (or loudly in their head). Or encourage them to make up a song of their own! At the grocery store, choose vegetables that aren’t in your regular routine. At home, arrange the vegetables on your child’s plate in a way that will bring a smile to their faces. Try new activities and physical games that will provide lots of endorphins. Finally, make the bedtime routine something to look forward to—books are a bonus! Remember to add that element of fun!
You may have additional tips to make this time easier for your child…Are there any you would like to share?
Suggested Reading
1. Michael J Breus, “How You Can Use Sleep to Fight Back Against Coronavirus,” Psychology Today, March 5, 2020, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/202003/how-you-can-use-sleep-fight-back-against-coronavirus.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Do Your Children Get Enough Sleep?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/children-sleep.htm.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “How Much Sleep Do I Need?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html.
4. Kate Whitehead, “Coronavirus: how to stay healthy and happy during virus outbreak and flu season, from the vitamins you need to exercise like yoga,” South China Morning Post, February 3, 2020, https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3048439/coronavirus-how-stay-healthy-and-happy-during-virus.
5. World Health Organization, “Clean Care if Safer Care,” World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/.
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