Hey guys, Mr. Wellness here with another Wellness 101. The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed the course of our daily lives…with school closures, no public gatherings and non-essential businesses still closed it looks like we may be continually adapting to the “new” normal for the foreseeable future. While these are increasingly stressful times for us, it’s important to remember it’s just as stressful for our children…and we’ve got the steps to help your kiddos cope with COVID-19.
Step One: Feeling Safe
Tests, school projects, and peer pressure are all stresses each child faces on a daily basis. But when upsetting events happen in the world, that’s a stress children are not used too, and it can cause your child to feel unsafe. It’s our job as parents and caregivers to reassure our children that everything is going to be alright. Make sure to limit what they hear on social media and the news and talk to them about what they are seeing. Offer them hope and reassure that we are all in this together and that we will get through this.
Step Two: Keep a “Healthy” Schedule
Negotiating homeschooling, virtual meetings, and keeping your sanity can be a challenge these days. But trying to keep a consistent routine is something our kids need and thrive on. Make sure they are getting outside for exercise, eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep. Try to keep a consistent schedule for schoolwork, exercise and bedtime.
Step Three: Connect with Loved Ones
Missing friends and loved ones come with the territory of social distancing, and it’s important to reinforce that those feelings are ok. Virtual play dates are a great way to stay in touch – arrange a show and tell, build with blocks, play with dolls, coordinate a story time or even share a meal once or twice a week to help keep their connections strong.
Step Four: Stay Calm
Children instinctively follow what we do, say and how we act. That’s why it’s so important to keep calm, especially now. If you’re flipping out, they’re gonna flip out too. Remember Mom and Dad are the ones in control – so if you need to take a moment – do it. And if you have a situation where everyone needs to calm down, try practicing deep breathing exercises with your child. Deep breathing is an invaluable tool to calming the nervous system. A simple 5-minute-deep breathing session per day can have a dramatic effect on the entire family’s well-being and stress level!
Step Four: Take Time to Talk
Make the time to talk to your kids about what’s going on. Be calm, honest and factual. It’s important that they know that they can come to you with their questions. Teaching your kids about the proper ways to reduce the risk of illness can give them a sense of control over the risk of infection and can help reduce their fear and anxiety levels. To learn more about how to talk with your child about COVID-19, pop on over to SLUHN.org/COVID-19 and download our COVID-19 age appropriate explanations sheet.
Remember friends, we’re all in this together – even our kids. At the end of the day they look to us to lead the way and to see them through this. Make the most of this extra time with them with more hugs, more movie nights and lots of love and patience. Don’t forget to smash that like button and subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more Wellness 101!
