It feels unreal somehow to realize that the “virus” has been upending our lives for an entire year. Rates of anxiety in the United States are sky high, and our children are facing a mental health crisis in a way that we have not seen before. We all realize, of course, that kids are having enormous difficulty socially and emotionally because they are not socializing “in person” at school. So…what can parents do to alleviate the stress? Here are a few tips:
- Realize that going thru an entire year doing “online” schooling has been difficult for your kids. The more you can talk to your children about how they are feeling, and about how these feelings “make sense” the better. Talking about and “validating” a feeling is very important for all of us, so don’t underestimate the power of your presence and your soothing words.
- Take a look at the relationship you have with your “significant other”, if you have one, and know that the “relational field” between the two of you affects everyone who lives in the house. Children in particular are very sensitive to “communication” issues that are happening between the adults they live with. With the pandemic, these issues are amplified, because kids literally can’t get away from their parents or guardians. Work on communication issues rather than letting them fester. Do your “couples work” privately though.
- Not only can kids not get away from parental figures in their lives, but also parents are also not getting away from their kids. Being 24/7 with children can be very stressful for parents as well. With this in mind, try to schedule some “respite” time…if at all possible. Think of it as time to rest, refresh, and reset. It’s very important.
- Last but not least, take heart. Things are changing rapidly, so look to the future and plan your vacation. We all need to have something to look forward to, so make sure that you put something together for your family. Just the activity of planning is healing and therapeutic, so solicit ideas and discuss them.
I hope these tips are useful to you as we navigate this difficult time together.