The coronavirus pandemic has placed a lot of families under duress around the world. Working remotely, school closures, and physical distancing is a lot to take for anyone and especially for the parents. Here are some useful tips for the care providers and parents to manage their children at home at the time of crisis.
1. Talk about coronavirus
You must be willing to talk about the COVID-19 situation with the children. They may have heard something already. Keep in mind that secrets and silence will not protect the kids. Openness and honesty will do it. Consider how much they will understand as you know them best. Allow the children to talk to you and ask questions to comprehend what they already know. Be honest while answering their questions by keeping in mind what they will understand. You need to be supportive and it is fine if you do not know all the answers. Remember, many stories are going around and you must be heroes to your children and not bullies.
2. Spend more one-on-one time
If you are unable to go to work, the schools are closed, and there is the constant worry about cash, it is normal to feel overwhelmed and stressed. The school shutdown is an opportunity to develop a better relationship with your child.
3. Learn via play
There are no charges for one-on-one time spent with the teenagers and it is fun. Make your children feel secure and loved. Allow them to feel that they are significant. Set a specific time aside for spending with every child and ask them what they would like to do. Look at them and listen to them by providing full attention to their needs.
4. Maintain a positive attitude
It is understood that everyone is hard-pressed to stay positive when kids are driving you crazy. Parents often end up saying “Stop doing that!”. However, remember that children are more likely to do what you ask them to if you ask them positively. Add a lot of praise for the work they have accomplished properly. Tell them the kind of behavior you wish to see from them and remember it is all in the way you say it to them. Praise them for good behavior and be realistic in your expectations as they are going to misbehave occasionally.
There are millions of children out there dealing with school closures and isolation at the moment. One of the things you can do is learning through play as it can be enjoyable for everyone involved. You can use numbers, language, music, and drama games available to provide children an opportunity to explore and express themselves safely and enjoyably. Several kinds of play can be educational as well as fun such as movement games, stories, changing the subject, memory games, and singing.
5. Keep the children safe
Keep in mind that children and teenagers are spending a lot of time online these days. Staying connected helps them a great deal to reduce the impact of coronavirus and encourages them to go on with their lives. However, it also brings in a set of dangers and risks with it. There are online risks involved for children such as adults targeting children for sexual reasons, harmful content, and cyberbullying from strangers. You need to provide technological fixes for protecting the children while being online. Develop safe and healthy internet-related habits in them and spend time with them online. Have open communication keeping your children safe.
Conclusion
If you are modeling loving and peaceful relationships, the children will feel loved and secure. Actively listening to them, positive language, and empathy can go a long way toward maintaining a happy and peaceful family at the time of crisis. Remember, parents are models for children. Perform family tasks with children such as gardening, cooking, or cleaning. In terms of gardening, if you don’t have a garden you can still opt for indoor gardening and get some LED grow lights to compensate for the lack of natural sunlight in your designated room for growing your plants inside. Listen to others when they are talking and be an active and empathic listener. Share the workload of your family and pause for a while if you are feeling stressed out or angry. Manage your stress and maintain calm as these are stressful times because if you take care of yourself you will be able to support your children.
How To Manage Children At Home During Covid-19 Lock Down
