COVID-19 Resources for Parents and Caregivers
COVID-19 developments are happening quickly and our physicians and clinicians are working hand-in-hand to provide parents, caregivers and educators resources to help families and kids navigate these uncertain times.
Online Parent Support Groups
Many organizations are currently offering support groups online for parents and families.
Coronavirus Coloring Book
Rizzo the Raccoon to the Rescue! Rizzo, the main character of our interactive coloring book, takes kids through emotions they may be feeling and some strategies to deal with their worries. Kids can read the pages, color them at their leisure and refer back to them when feeling uncertain.
If you are a representing a school district, health care provider or community organization and would like to request 100 or more coloring books, please email Elizabeth.DeFreitas@lifespan.org.
Grief and Loss Coloring Book
Clinicians at Bradley Hospital developed a coloring book as a catalyst to empower children to open up to adults about their feelings of grief.
Read online: In English | In Spanish
Download and print (PDF): In English | In Spanish
Watch a Video
Watch a conversation between grief expert Mary Sullivan, PhD, MA, BSN and Rev. Eugene Dyszlewski that highlights some ways adults can help children suffering from grief and loss.
Coping with Coronavirus and Other Tips for Parents and Caregivers
- School Shootings and Community Gun Violence: What to Say to Children and How to Help Them Cope
Bradley Hospital's Margaret R. Paccione-Dyszlewski, PhD, discusses how parents can help children after a school shooting.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish
- COVID-19 Vaccines and Children
Infectious disease specialists Katrina Byrd, MD and Silvia Chiang, MD answer your questions about COVID-19 vaccines for young people.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In Spanish | In Portuguese
- The Seven Cs of Resilience and How Parents Can Build Resilient Children
Kimberly LaFountain, LMHC, a behavioral education development specialist and mental health first aid coordinator at Bradley Hospital, discusses tips to help you help your child become more flexible and more easily recover from life’s challenges.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In Spanish | In Portuguese
- Talking to Children About Sexual Abuse
Bradley Hospital's Margaret R. Paccione-Dyszlewski, PhD, explains why talking is key in preventing sexual abuse of children.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In Spanish | In Portuguese
- Navigating the New Normal
Bradley Hospital's Margaret R. Paccione-Dyszlewski, PhD discusses how to navigate the new normal with extended periods of time at home and juggling the demands of working, home-schooling and new routines.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish | In Portuguese | In Creole
- Calming Kids’ Worries
Margaret R. Paccione-Dyszlewski, PhD takes adults through the process of talking to their children and the importance of giving age-appropriate information.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish | In Portuguese | In Creole
- Coronavirus, Kids and Signs of Stress
Sarah Hagin, PhD, explains what to be on the lookout for if your child is showing signs of anxiety or extreme sadness or anger.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish | In Portuguese | In Creole
- Talking to Kids About Diseases in the News
Henry Sachs, MD, president of Bradley Hospital, says calm reassurance from parents is key in responding to children’s anxiety that is triggered by news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish | In Portuguese | In Creole
- Talking to Kids About Tough Economic Times
Karyn Horowitz, MD, chief medical officer for Bradley Hospital, and director of child outpatient psychiatry for Lifespan, gives advice on discussing the family’s financial strain in an age-appropriate way.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish | In Portuguese | In Creole
- Teens, Stress, and How Parents Can Help
Margaret R. Paccione-Dyszlewski, PhD, describes the impact of stress on teens and suggests tactics they can use to manage it.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish | In Portuguese | In Creole
- Wearing Face Masks and How to Explain It to Kids
Michael Koster, MD, offers pointers on educating kids about mask-wearing and strategies for getting them to buy in.
Download a related tip sheet (PDF): In English | In Spanish | In Portuguese | In Creole
COVID Video Resources for Families
The following videos address topics that may be helpful to parents as they teach kids about COVID-19 and navigate time at home. (Videos are in .mp4 format, and courtesy of Kids Health.)