Explaining the coronavirus pandemic to your children may be one of the most important conversations you’ll ever have to make. Psychologist Dr. Dennis White of Sturgeon Bay says that it is essential for people to stay calm, which will lead to better messaging and decisions. Secondly, Dr. White adds that you need to convey a serious message, not a scary one, to your children on the importance of following the rules like washing your hands and social distancing. He says it is also vital to give age-appropriate conversations.

Dr. White recommends that you ask your child, “what have you heard” and “what do you know” because of the wild rumors and scary stories that are going around. Knowing what your child’s concerns are, then you can make age-appropriate responses and reassure that people are doing all they can and that we are all in this together. You can listen to Dr. White’s entire interview below.