Child Development and Parenting

Supporting Mental Wellness and Family Life During COVID-19

Help With Supporting Your Child or Teen’s Mental Wellness

Family on ComputerExpert Tips for a No-Fear School Year: 5 key ways to reduce the stress of back-to-school anxiety and uncertainty

Seattle Children’s: Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety About COVID-19
Dr. Jennifer Blossom, a psychology postdoctoral fellow at Seattle Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Clinic, gives advice on how to share information with the children and teens in your life in a way that helps prevent too much worry.

Parenting Teens During COVID-19 Video Series

Navigating the Trials of Being a Teen during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Home Safety During COVID-19: Preventing Medicine Misuse, and Alcohol and Drug Use

Coping During COVID-19: Recording of our March 27 Facebook Live Panel (1:08:53)
These are challenging times and almost everything about our daily lives looks different. Get tips from Seattle Children’s experts to support your family as you cope, live and learn during COVID-19. Panelists included Scott Hampton, manager of Seattle Children’s K-12 Educational Services; Tyler Sasser, PhD, psychologist and director of Behavioral Treatment in the PEARL Clinic, an ADHD and behavior clinic, in Outpatient Psychiatry; Kendra Read, PhD, clinical psychologist and director of Anxiety Programs, in Outpatient Psychiatry; and Jim Mancini, speech and language pathologist and director of Parent Education and Outreach at Seattle Children's Autism Center. See below for recordings of the other Coping During COVID-19 series discussions.

Supporting Teens During COVID-19: Recording of Our May 15 Facebook Live Panel (1:05:48)
Get tips from Seattle Children's providers to help you support teens during COVID-19. Panelists included Kendra Read, PhD, director of Anxiety Programs in Outpatient Psychiatry; Yolanda Evans, MD, physician in Adolescent Medicine; Gary Stobbe, MD, director of Adult Autism Transitional Services; and Hilary Mead, PhD, co-director of the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Early Onset Psychosis Programs in Outpatient Psychiatry.

Sustaining Coping Skills During COVID-19: Recording of our May 29 Facebook Live Panel (1:07:17)
Panelists discussed parenting skills when stressed, preparing for the summer, and managing anxiety and uncertainty about the future. Panelists included Kendra Read, PhD, director of Anxiety Programs in Outpatient Psychiatry; Tyler Sasser, PhD, director of Behavioral Treatment in the PEARL Clinic; Jim Mancini, director of Parent Education and Outreach at Seattle Children’s Autism Center; and Scott Hampton, manager of Seattle Children’s K-12 Education Services; and moderated by Kashi Arora, mental and behavioral health project manager in Community Health and Benefit.

Regulating Emotions During a Pandemic
Learn about emotional dysregulation and how it affects our behaviors and interactions with each other and get some strategies for feeling more in control. You can choose to listen to the podcast or read the transcript.

Child Mind Institute: Supporting Families During COVID-19
Resources include daily email tips for parenting during the crisis, twice-daily Facebook Live video chats with expert clinicians, consultations, and many more resources for parents. The Child Mind Institute is an independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders.

Behavioral Health Toolbox for Families: Supporting Children and Teens During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Washington State Department of Health: Parent and Caretaker Resources and Recommendations
Find the “Coping with the Stress of an Infectious Disease Outbreak like COVID-19” section, which includes how to help children of different age groups cope.

World Health Organization: Helping Children Cope with Stress During the Outbreak
Clear and simple tips for reassuring and supporting your child.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Helping Children Cope With Emergencies
Information about the emotional response kids often have during and after emergencies.

Mental Health Resources Hub
Learn to recognize the signs of a mental health problem and how to take action.

Washington’s Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens
Connects families with mental health providers who have openings in their schedule and can meet your child’s needs. We link you to providers in your local area who fit your child’s specialty needs and insurance coverage. Washington state funds the free referral service and Seattle Children’s operates it.

A Path to Resilience in the Face of COVID-19 (PDF)
Researchers at Seattle Children’s created this infographic to teach scientifically-backed skills to help you build resilience.

Suicide Prevention

Coping with COVID-19: Suicide Prevention
Learn how to talk about suicide and suicide prevention to help adults and teens in your life who may be struggling. This Washington State Department of Health podcast offers expert advice and resources to learn more.

Help with Supporting Parent and Caregiver Mental Wellness

Don’t Have an Hour for Yoga? Realistic Ways for Parents to Manage Stress
Reducing anxiety can feel impossible if your child care is obsolete and you don’t have time for an hour-long yoga class. Seattle Children’s experts share practical tips to help parents manage their stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and long after.

Parenting in Stressful Times: Recording of our April 17 Facebook Live Panel (1:13:46)
View a discussion about parenting during times of high stress and uncertainty. The discussion was led by psychologists Kendra Read, Director of Anxiety Programs, and Tyler Sasser, Director of Behavioral Treatment, who were joined by Shayla Collins and Krista Hanson, parent mindfulness class facilitators.

Finding Your Way in Community: Free Online Mindfulness Groups for Parents and Caregivers

Take 5 When You're Overwhelmed or Frustrated (PDF)
Watch the 1-minute video of the 5 tips (1:00)
Being a parent or caregiver isn't easy...especially now! Learn how to "take 5" and who to call for support.

How Right Now
Get tips and resources to help you, whether you're feeling sad, worried or stressed right now.

Parent Trust for Washington Children Family Help Line
Learn how to connect with parent coaches for supportive listening, parenting information, stress reduction and resources.

Help with Adding Structure and Learning to Your Family’s Day

Seattle Children’s School Services: Resources Developed by Seattle Children’s Teachers
Seattle Children’s teachers share advice, support, handouts on at-home learning tips for parents, help when you or your child are feeling stuck learning or teaching, sample schedules and many more resources.

School in the Time of COVID, Strategies for Meaningful School-to-Home Partnership: Recording of our May 1 Facebook Live Panel (1:04:12)
View this panel discussion, part of our Coping During COVID-19 Facebook Live series, about school-to-home partnership, student rights in education, as well as strategies for keeping kids engaged in at-home learning.

The American Academy of Pediatrics: Working and Learning from Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Tips for adjusting to a “new normal” home life for families who are learning and working from home.

Common Sense Media: Free Online Events and Activities for Kids at Home
Common Sense Media is independent, nonprofit and research backed. Since 2003, Common Sense has been the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools. Every day, millions of parents and educators trust Common Sense reviews and advice to help them navigate the digital world with their kids.

Seattle Public Schools: Family Resources for COVID-19 Related School Closures
Information on meals for students, learning resources, special education FAQ, childcare sites, and more.
*Check with your school district or school for information in your area.

Seattle Children's: Family Resources and Activities
Our Family Resource Center staff put together this list of resources and activities to help patients and families feel connected during this time.

Seattle Children’s: Activities for Children Sick at Home
Ideas for adding activities to your child’s day, beyond screen time.

Family Safety During COVID-19

Keeping Your Family Safe During COVID-19
Tips and resources for suicide prevention, safe storage of medicines and firearms, violence prevention in the home and coping with stress.

Safety Checklist for Home
Use this checklist to make your home a safer place for children.

More Safety and Injury Prevention Information from Seattle Children's 

Help for Special Groups

Seattle Children’s: The Autism Blog
Recent posts provide information on how to communicate about coronavirus with your child with autism, education ideas, support and other resources. 

How to Support Individuals with Autism during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Seattle Children's: Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Patient and Family Resources
Get treatment-specific resources for mental and behavioral health.

National Domestic Violence Hotline
For anyone affected by abuse and needing support, call 800-799-7233. If you’re unable to speak safely, visit thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522. You are not alone.

Black Mental Health Matters: Culturally Relevant Resources Are Available in King County