Parenting is not easy at the best of times and with the on-going COVID-19 outbreak, it has never been harder. Children are not allowed to go to school, there are huge limitations on what we can do outside of our own home and there is also the added factor of being separated from friends and family members too.
All these things together are enough to test the patience of most adults, let alone be able to bring up a range of feelings of anxiety in children too. So, how do you, as a parent deal with this? To try and help you we have put together our top tips for parenting during the pandemic, with 5 things that can help keep the calm at home.
Don’t try to hide the facts
It goes without saying that we want to protect our children from everything negative in the world. However, sometimes this can actually do more harm than good. Your children, relevant of their age, will know that something is going on at the moment, whether they understand exactly what Covid-19 is or not. This means that it is important that you don’t try to avoid talking about what is happening, but just to find a better way to explain the facts and perhaps to try and make sure that on their level, they understand what is going on in the world around them.
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Share your feelings
It is also common for parents to think that they need to be tough all the time and hide their feelings. However, it is good to show that you can be sad sometimes too. Your children are likely to feel worried, anxious, lonely and a little down that they can’t go out to play with their friends or spend time with them at school. If they think that these feelings are silly, or that they are the only ones that feel this way, then they are likely to keep them inside. It is a much better idea to do your best to encourage them to share how they feel, by taking the lead.
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Read More:
Keeping Your Child Safe and Reassured during the COVID-19 Outbreak
5 Creative Ways to Entertain Your Kids Staying at Home due to Coronavirus
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Create a routine
Children thrive off of a routine, which means that one thing that you can do to try and keep them calm and focused is to make one. It might not be anything like the routines that you are used to, but if they have a sense of “normality” and understanding in what to expect on a day to day basis, then chances are that they will feel much better about what is going on in the world around them.
Exercise
Not only does exercise help you to get some fresh air, but by being active you are also encouraging your body to release endorphins, which are happy chemicals. Due to the pandemic, the time to exercise outside is limited. You can exercise at your backyard or in any spacious part of your house for the time being.
Take the pressure off of yourself
The worst thing that you can do is to pile pressure on yourself during this time. Aim to do the best that you can do for yourself and for your family and we can promise you that you will. You may not even realise it, but by just being there is all they need to stay smiling during a time of uncertainty and doubt.
Follow these top tips and we are sure that you will achieve a sense of calm in your house that will see you through whatever the next few weeks and months bring.