The pandemic has turned the world upside down. Aside from affecting the economy, it also crept into the daily lives of families around the world. Parents had to deal with the situation while taking care of their children.
If parents feel anxious about the situation, imagine how the children are feeling, especially the young ones who may not fully understand what’s happening around them.
Here are some tips parents can use to help them to handle the stress brought about by the situation.
Talk About the Situation
This is quite important for parents to do so their children will understand what’s happening around them. You should be open and honest with your children. Since your children rely on you for their physical and emotional needs, you should not keep secrets from them, especially during a pandemic.
If your children are confused or scared, you should be supportive of them. Do not drive them away. If you’re working from home, you can talk with your children after work. You can use your work-from-home situation as an example of how serious the situation is.
One thing you should remember is that you should be honest with them. If you don’t know something, such as when the vaccine will be available, you should be honest enough to tell them that you don’t know. You can use this to get to know more about your children by asking for their opinion.
Deal with Their Fears
When your children start to open up, listen to them. At this point, you should teach them the proper health protocols if they go out of the house. You should also try to understand their feelings. For instance, they may be upset since they couldn’t attend their best friend’s birthday. You can explain the situation to them. You can also tell them that some things you used to do before the pandemic are no longer possible.
You can also stay in touch with your loved ones. This is particularly true if your children are close to their grandparents. You can call them or use a video conferencing app to allow your children to see how they’re doing.
If you’re going out to buy essentials, make sure to tell your children, especially the young ones. Tell them how long you’ll be out and where you’re going. You can also ask them if they want you to get something for them.
You should also tell your children about the latest developments in the release of the vaccine. This can also be a point of discussion in the family. You can discuss the different vaccines and how it can help you fight off the virus.
Use Positive Discipline
If adults can feel the stress and anxiety building up due to the pandemic, the children will also feel the same. Due to this, there may be instances when you have to discipline your children. While you may be tempted to shout at them, it may make matters worse. You may even end up looking for a family or commercial lawyer close to your home.
Instead, you can try using positive words. You can tell them the behaviors you want to see and the reason why they should behave that way. If you were able to have a heart-to-heart talk with them about the situation, they would likely understand your reasons.
Additionally, you should also praise them for good behavior. If they do something good, tell them about it. The children may not initially appreciate the praise, but you’ll find out later that they are grateful for it through their actions.
Model the Health Protocols
When the pandemic started, people were informed of the proper health protocols to follow. Listening to the authorities is one thing, and following their recommendations is another. If you want your children to follow the guidelines, you should be their role model.
For instance, if you’re going out to buy essentials, you should wear a mask properly. You should also stay at least six feet away from a person who’s not a part of your household whenever possible. Avoiding crowds and washing your hands often are also some protocols to follow.
It’s also advisable to have a place at home to disinfect the groceries before entering the house. You should have soap and water or s sanitizer ready outside the house to allow you to wash your hands before you go inside the house.
When you show your children that you’re following the guidelines set by the authorities, they’ll also follow them whenever necessary. They may even volunteer to sanitize frequently touched places in the house for you.
Parenting during a pandemic can be quite challenging. But if you have a positive attitude and communicate with your children, you’ll be able to take care of them until the pandemic ends.
