According to a recent report by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), children may suffer from emotional turbulence when dealing with a traumatic event. And the COVID -19 is a prime example. This pandemic has upended what was normal once.
The virulent disease has changed the lifestyles completely, especially for children, causing major nuisance and disruptions in our daily life. The pandemic has spared the majority of the children from illness but has affected their mental health deeply.
It is worth mentioning that children are not immune to depression or stress related to quarantining and disconnecting with their friends. That is why many parents are feeling anxious about helping their kids sink in the new normal.
Hence, if you are a parent, taking care of your child’s physical health is not enough. You must make efforts to promote their mental and emotional well-being. Take a look at these tips to help your kid’s emotional and mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Tips to Help your Kid’s Mental Health During COVID
· Understand the Reaction of Your Child
Children may respond differently to stressful events. While some children become irritable and clingy, others are more regress and attention-seeking. They may demand your attention even with small tasks like sleeping, eating, and changing clothes.
Know that this new behavior is a natural response, and you must show empathy and a lot of patience when reacting to them. Calmly set their limits when they ask your help and attention.
· Ensure Your Presence
One of the primary factors in recovery from this disturbing environment is your presence and support for your children. You need to become a parent who is always available for their children to help them deal with the effects of the pandemic.
· Offer Quality Time
This is extremely important if you want your child to understand what is happening in the world. Young children require a considerable amount of quality time with their parents, however quality of time is not to be confused with quantity. Keep in mind that your social connectedness is of paramount importance for your child to learn and practice social distancing. A great ways to give your child special, quality time is by participating in something together. Such as the Dear Daughter Workshop. A relationship workshop that is now available in virtual form to enjoy from home. Plus, it will help them improve resilient behavior toward the pandemic.
· Give Age-Appropriate Information
Children have vivid imagination. They may imagine horrible things if you do not give them adequate information about the current situation. That is why you need to tell them about the pandemic, its effects on life in an age-appropriate way. For instance, you can offer them books and activities on coronavirus that give information in a child-friendly way.
· Keep Your Children Engaged
If your child is missing his friends or has nothing to do, it may increase their disruptive behavior. You need to keep them busy in different indoor activities such as modeling clay art, block building, or music games. It will improve their learning experiences and lessen their worries.
Bottom Line
All in all, children are already living in a world that is not in their control. Their thoughts can be traumatized when the realities and rituals they count on to live their lives get blown. The coronavirus is capable of taking a heavy toll on your child’s mental health. Thus, the given tips can help reduce the impact of this deadly virus from your little one’s mind.
Great tips. Thanks for the reminder.