Parenting during Covid-19: it’s time to keep your children safe from anxiety virus

While the fear and uncertainty of future are like synonyms feelings with Covid-19, someone who have really reeled under the effect of such tough times – are our children.

Even though we, as parents, try to be strong for our children, but being stuck at home has totally hampered our healthy routines. And not to mention, how by we must all brave ourselves to be going through all this while managing our children emotions by building resilience. Mentioned below is how you can help your kids to get over the stress of the pandemic:

Address children’s fears

Children tend to rely heavily on their parents, both for safety and emotional value. Do mention your children that you are there for them by answering their questions as simply and honestly as possible. Be in tune with your child’s fears and address them head on. Also, do make it a point to keep in touch with your grandparents, friends and relatives, and make sure that your child is also interacting with them via video calls. Assure them of a better future and talk of everything possible as far as the prevention of virus is concerned.

Spend quality times in a one-on-one manner with them

With work from home for you and online zoom classes for kids being the new norm, it’s time to build up on spending quality time with your kids. Spend as much as one-on-one time with them, constantly telling them that they are important to you. Ask your children what helps them in building confidence, and work on those activities.

Connect with other parents and your children’s teachers

Reach out to them via phone or email and converse openly on how you both can keep your kids focused and energized. Talk of organizing virtual activity or study group so that your kids can have adequate social interaction. Also, do make it a point to connect with your children’s teachers as it helps in creating sound understanding of their academic strengths and weaknesses.

Be a stickler for healthy routines

During these trying times, it is even more imperative than before to set up a strict bedtime and other routines. It will help in creating a method in the chaos giving a sense of reassurance in these troubled times. Start by structuring the day by establishing new daily schedules. Keep family time, extra curricular activities like cooking time and reading before bedtime to give a meaningful structure to the routine. Include things like making a school timetable and exercising everyday as a part of the routine.

Teach your children about the distance and hygiene part

Start by reassuring your child when it comes to establishing proper channels of communication. Listen to their feeling and suggestions and take them seriously. Encourage habits like washing hands and sanitizing stuff that comes from outside. For instance, you could create your very own hand washing song and sing along with them. Always remember to be a model for your child’s behavior by practicing everything with compassion.

Enforce positive discipline

While elder children are better at articulating their feelings, younger children aren’t sure how to describe them. Hence, they are more likely to demonstrate anxiety, stress or fear through unpleasant behavior. In such instances, start by indulging them in some creative play – build an indoor fort or castle to keep germs at bay. Praise them for their good behavior openly and try and rewards them for completing school assignments or getting along with their siblings and so on.

Finally, when you really think things are going in an overwhelming direction, then just take a time-out and pause. Recollect yourself and understand that it’s a tough time for everyone. Remember, this all is a temporary phase and slowly but gradually things will come back to normal.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are for informational purposes only based on industry reports and related news stories. PropertyPistol does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information and shall not be held responsible for any action taken based on the published information.