| Parent/caregivers’ report of how they share information about COVID-19 with their child (open text responses, content analysis and reporting of the most frequent responses) |
| Shielding my child from information |
UK (n = 279) |
69 (25%) |
I try to shield my kids from the grim reality |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
8 (3%) |
Trying not to watch all the news while the kids are present. |
| Australia (n = 123) |
9 (7%) |
The bare minimum they need to know |
| Canada (n = 80) |
6 (8%) |
So as not to scare him, I keep information from him. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
13 (10%) |
The only accessible way to know about coronavirus is on TV, therefore we select what we watch in front of them |
| Spain (n = 381) |
56 (15%) |
We don’t talk about it |
| Diluting, filtering and adapting the information shared with my child |
UK (n = 279) |
95 (34%) |
We have kept it very simple, just sharing what is necessary to keep them safe and well |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
71 (30%) |
I tell the most important things but save the scariest details |
| Australia (n = 123) |
63 (51%) |
What is relevant, age appropriate, in simple language and nothing too overwhelming |
| Canada (n = 80) |
38 (47%) |
Information that will help to keep them safe ie social distancing, extra hand washing, sanitizing and explain to them why we are doing home learning and why things are closed. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
49 (24%) |
I share information about prevention, hygiene. But I don’t share information about the death rate or sad news |
| Spain (n = 381) |
135 (35%) |
I share the minimum. Only its existence, consequences such as not being able to go to school, not being able to leave and the message that all this will be fixed. |
| Giving information by responding to my child’s questions |
UK (n = 279) |
67 (24%) |
We are answering his questions when he asks but not offering information he hasn’t asked for. |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
48 (20%) |
In the first place I let my child raise it himself, then we talk about it and I answer questions if they have any |
| Australia (n = 123) |
21 (7%) |
I ask my daughter if she has any questions and I answer them in a way appropriate to her, so that she understands and can properly comprehend the information. |
| Canada (n = 80) |
13 (16%) |
I answer their questions. I don’t supply too much info unless they have questions. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
10 (8%) |
I try to answer only what he asks me |
| Spain (n = 381) |
34 (9%) |
I respond to all my child’s questions and we discuss together any doubts or further comments that she may have. |
| Carefully sourcing accurate information to share with them |
UK (n = 279) |
10 (4%) |
I share anything that I believe to be fact. No sensationalism. I only share when they ask or if there is a significant piece of news |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
16 (7%) |
We discuss and agree on what is reasonable to share. |
| Australia (n = 123) |
33 (27%) |
We ensure it is factual and age appropriate |
| Canada (n = 80) |
18 (23%) |
I ensure all is ‘fact’ and science based {real news-data}, not fake news nor ’dumbing down’ of content. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
19 (14%) |
We find and then provide information using appropriate language |
| Spain (n = 381) |
107 (28%) |
I look up serious information which is not sensationalist |
| Sharing information with my child in an honest and open way |
UK (n = 279) |
33 (12%) |
I don’t hide anything about the coronavirus with my children, but I use age appropriate language when explaining the more distressing aspects. |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
32 (14%) |
He gets to know what he wants via news. We talk about to see what image he has, what he thinks and whether he is worried or not |
| Australia (n = 123) |
33 (27%) |
I am just open and honest about it all. We discuss openly |
| Canada (n = 80) |
18 (23%) |
We have open, honest conversations so that my child can understand what this pandemic is about, how it spreads and how to stay safe. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
19 (14%) |
I decided that he needs to know everything about the subject because it is very important to know how to take care and also see that it is very serious. |
| Spain (n = 381) |
107 (28%) |
No restriction, just do not overload them with information and adapt it to their age |
| Children being autonomous in addressing their information needs |
UK (n = 279) |
5 (2%) |
We think it is important to be led by what they want to know. |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
22 (9%) |
We have come to an agreement with the children that we should not talk too much about corona at home |
| Australia (n = 123) |
0 |
- |
| Canada (n = 80) |
5 (6%) |
She’s old enough to decide for herself. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
0 |
- |
| Spain (n = 381) |
0 |
- |
|
Parent/caregivers’ report of information they choose
not
to share with their child (open text responses, content analysis and reporting of the most frequent responses)
|
| We don’t talk about the death rates |
UK (n = 279) |
132 (48%) |
We have said some people have died from it but not to worry |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
42 (18%) |
We try to avoid death figures and things that can be perceived as scary |
| Australia (n = 123) |
63 (51%) |
We don’t talk about death, they know people have died but we don’t go into details. |
| Canada (n = 80) |
36 (45%) |
I will turn the radio off if they are talking about death counts. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
52 (40%) |
I don’t like him to see the deaths shown on TV everyday |
| Spain (n = 381) |
105 (28%) |
We don’t talk about the number of deaths |
| We filter/adapt the information |
UK (n = 279) |
7 (3%) |
We try to be as open with him as much as possible but he is still young so we don’t want him to be frightened. We explain that people with the virus may die but we don’t give him detailed information such as the number of people that have died. |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
26 (11%) |
What feels important to me and useful to the child |
| Australia (n = 123) |
6 (5%) |
We don’t share information about what is happening outside of Australia |
| Canada (n = 80) |
2 (3%) |
We don’t hide anything but we don’t explain everything, we keep facts that could cause anxiety to us. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
8 (6%) |
We do not share political developments and fake news—information that do not add value |
| Spain (n = 381) |
42 (11%) |
I have diluted the information to allow them to understand the danger without scaring them. |
| We do not withhold information |
UK (n = 279) |
58 (21%) |
Not really. Death is a reality, and death from disease is too. It’s important to be open but calm. |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
8 (3%) |
We share as much current information as possible at the level my child understands |
| Australia (n = 123) |
19 (15%) |
I’m not too concerned about them knowing about it |
| Canada (n = 80) |
33 (41%) |
I tell them everything in an age appropriate language and terms. I don’t try to make up answers to questions where I don’t know or where the evidence is uncertain. |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
75 (57%) |
No. I think it is essential that he knows all the implications and why these measures have been taken are important |
| Spain (n = 381) |
167 (44%) |
We have no restrictions on what we share |
| We do not share the risks of how children or people we know could get poorly/die |
UK (n = 279) |
16 (7%) |
We don’t mention that it could affect their grandparents |
| Sweden (n = 235) |
24 (10%) |
Trying to keep away from how dangerous it can be to our loved ones |
| Australia (n = 123) |
9 (7%) |
We also don’t talk about children dying or other adults close in age to us |
| Canada (n = 80) |
12 (15%) |
Victims that are children |
| Brazil (n = 132) |
2 (2%) |
About negative repercussions, especially in children. |
| Spain (n = 381) |
11 (3%) |
We don’t share traumatic information or risks to children |
