The world is a bit scarier right now, isn’t it? Living the past 18+ months through a global pandemic has been difficult for all of us. Our worlds have fundamentally changed in so many areas. But what about our children? How is this affecting them? Sometimes we adults forget that our kids suffer from the same worries and fears that we do.
I’ve been hearing this again and again from many of my clients. Their children are experiencing lots of emotional turmoil from all the new restrictions. The landscape of our schools has changed dramatically with masks being the new norm and social distancing keeping our kids at a distance from their friends.
What can you do to help your children through this time of upheaval? First, you need to be honest with your kids. Let them know that yes, this is a challenging time, but they will get through it. Give them a sense of empowerment.
Here are a few simple things to help alleviate some stress and help our kids have a happy and healthy school year:
- If masks are required, how can they customize their mask to showcase their unique personality or likes? Buy some plain cloth masks and let your kids have an arts and crafts night to glue on beads or use fabric paint to make the mask their own!
- If your kids are irritable and you see the mental stress taking a toll, sit down with them and validate their concerns. Talk to them about their feelings and let them express whatever emotions they are feeling. Review what they can and can’t control and then come up with some coping skills that can bring them back to a place of calm. You want to validate their fears and let them have some space to express that.
- Spend quality time with them after school and on weekends. Give them outlets at home to do the things they love to do. Have a movie night or go out for ice cream. Try to keep their life outside of school as “normal” as possible.
- Find things to be grateful for. Each evening, have your child share one fun or positive thing they experienced in school that day and in return, you share something positive from your day. It helps to let kids know that even though things are different, there’s still something positive to look forward to every day.
Remember, our kids mirror us. So, even when you are feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, remember that your children will follow your lead and try to present them with a calm presence in their turmoil.
