Talking about COVID-19

The frequently changing news and COVID-19 updates can be difficult to explain to kids. Here are some resources that might help:

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/talking-with-children.html
• https://littlepuddins.ie/coronavirus-social-story/
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/03/17/parenting-autistic-kids-coronavirus/
• https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/managing-feelings/stress-anxiety/child-anxious-coronavirus

Online Safety

Allowing kids (of any age) online can be a bit scary, however, during these times, online options are the best way to connect to the world around us. Here are some sites to help with online safety:

• https://www.netsmartzkids.org/
• https://dare.org/internet-safety/
• https://www.mcgruff-safe-kids.com/2014/08/10-internet-safety-tips-for-kids/

Learning Opportunities

Although school might not be in session; that doesn’t mean that the learning needs to stop. If you are looking for additional learning opportunities for your children, please explore:

• Best Buddies and our amazing partners at Sanford Harmony want to provide ways for you, your friends, and your family to feel connected and to keep learning during this time. Sanford Harmony provides online resources with direct recommendations for social and emotional learning lessons, activities and resources, parent information, webinar training, and partner resources targeted for at-home support.   We invite you to visit their website at www.sanfordharmony.org for games, ideas to connect, and ways to share feelings.
• Please CLICK HERE for a letter from our friends at Sanford Harmony.
• Please also check out information here on “Stuck-at-Home” Activities to try with your kids: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/stuck-at-home-activities

Virtual Social Opportunities

Best Buddies is still committed to making sure that our community members feel included and that friendships continue.   COVID-19 does not change our mission; it only changes the way in which we make it happen.

• Join e-Buddies: a great way to make a new friend via e-mail.  This program is available for people with and without IDD beginning at age 10 through older adults (no maximum age).  People are matched based on common interests & similar ages.
• Utilize social media (Facebook, Instagram, Best Buddies Mobile)
  Many Best Buddies offices and chapters use social media to stay in contact and will be doing that even more so during this time.   If your child does not have social media, please follow our pages yourself so that you can provide the opportunity for your child to join in during potential Facebook Live Best Buddies Events.
• Encourage your child to go “old-school”-call friends, send postal mail (FYI, experts say that sending mail is safe.)
• Ways to allow your children to connect “face to face” with friends through technology
  Utilize Facetime, Skype, Zoom (these are free services-consider creating accounts/downloading the apps for your child to use)

Additional Helpful Links

Online Safety:

• https://www.missingkids.org/NetSmartz
• https://internetsafety101.org/
• https://www.connectsafely.org/

Information:

• https://www.autismnj.org/article/covid-19-and-autism-in-nj/
• https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid19-how-to-help-children-with-autism-adjust-during-self-isolation/67-858e0e59-b6f6-4019-8b07-a1643414cb74
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/03/14/parenting-tips-coronavirus/

Learning:

• https://www.khanacademy.org/
• https://www.mathplayground.com/
• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KCFnWreu4v7VoO3NbgP-Qcq2LyE1FvliYSoiTLRY7Qg/htmlview?usp=sharing&fbclid=IwAR0s4EdX6NLFyVlZZ89IoWxa3CM86nXZl8pWxc3HpTQgohR6EToIAkTdBXg&sle=true