Beyond the Basics Understanding COVID-19 for Kids

Inspiration

I'm inspired by my 3 kids who express their fears and joys (and processing new info) in different ways. "Mommy, I'm scared for Grammy." "What do they do in the hospital?" "Show me those numbers about Spain again."

What it does

My book emphasizes resiliency. Knowledge is a basis for promoting action and processing emotions.

How I built it

As a nurse practitioner, I constantly explain viruses to people in the most basic but thorough way I can. So I captured the words I've been saying for years, tweaked it for COVID, and added illustrations.

Challenges I ran into

My forte is words and info, so getting illustrations in the book and formatting was challenging to me. I also struggled with wanting to be "complete" with my explanations, but basic enough to be on a level for the smaller children. That's why I separated out the "beyond the basics" boxes, so that it can be used at simpler levels by skipping those boxes.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I'm proud of hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim. I also conquered a 50-miler canoe trip in the Everglades. I enjoy writing skits, working with wood, and presenting the children's sermon at church.

What I learned

Writing a book is not easy. This is the first time I've done it.

What's next for Beyond the Basics Understanding COVID-19 for Kids

I truly hope that this book can be accessible to all families who want the complex info about COVID to be presented in a simpler way.