A Quick Guide for Talking With Vaccine-Hesitant Parents
Encouraging parents to vaccinate their kids against Covid-19 can be a delicate dance. Data, rhetoric, and insults won’t help. Listening and empathy can.
By Gretchen Schulz, Alex Michel, and Rupali Limaye
W hat to say? That’s a key question when a parent shares their hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccines for their kids. Fortunately, behavioral science offers some valuable tips for opening up the conversation and informing others respectfully—and successfully.
Here are some tips distilled from our free online course, COVID Vaccine Ambassador Training: How to Talk to Parents .
Response A » Ignore concerns and respond with facts .
Sounds like: “Over 11 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been given to people. mRNA vaccines have been 85% effective in reducing the risk of hospital admission. Just trust that the vaccines are safe.”
Result: No empathy = no conversation.
Why this doesn’t work: Dismissing a person’s concerns rather than listening and showing empathy can feel insulting. Sharing statistics and too many details is not effective when talking about health concerns.
Response B » Show empathy and talk about perception of risks.
Sounds like: “I know you want to make the best decision for your child. With so much information out there, it’s hard to know the right thing to do.”
And then: “Many children have become severely ill from COVID, and some kids have died. A vaccine for Morgan will give her the best protection against COVID.”
Result: The listener is engaged and may be open to getting Morgan vaccinated.
Why this works: You pivot away from misinformation, share empathy (which can build trust), and provide valuable information about susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 in children.
Response A » Correct the facts immediately.
Sounds like: “I don’t know why you think the time to develop the vaccine matters. Millions of people have gotten the vaccine, and you should just do the same for your child, as it’s clearly safe.”
Result: The listener feels put off by your attitude and insulted for believing misinformation. Conversation ends.
Why this doesn’t work: It discredits the
Response B » Build trust first by sharing their concerns.
Sounds like: “I understand your concerns. I wanted to learn about the vaccine before deciding, too. With all the confusing information out there, it’s really hard to know what’s true and what isn’t.”
And then: “Can I share with you what I’ve learned after speaking about this with our pediatrician?”
Result: Conversation is likely to continue with an open-minded listener.
Why this works: You are not dismissing their concerns, forcing unwanted information on them, or blaming them for believing misinformation. Instead, you empathize with the person’s concerns while sharing your own experience.
Response A » Recommend a new
Sounds like: “What? I don’t think you’ve been talking to the right parents. You should join the social media group I trust that focuses on COVID.”
Result: Creates an “us vs. them” dynamic, with the other person on the “wrong” team.
Why this doesn’t work: This response ridicules their choice of friend group.
Response B » Engage with the listener’s concerns and present information in the form of questions.
Sounds like: “Did you know that the majority of parents at our school have gotten their fifth graders vaccinated? I know other parents who struggled with this decision, but getting my fifth grader vaccinated has really put my family at ease since we know our kids are now protected from severe COVID.”
Result: The other person may reflect on possible choices based on your experience.
Why this works: You are presenting information in an inquisitive way and highlighting social norms of the community.
