COVID-19 – a disease caused by the novel coronavirus – has been spreading rapidly around the world at an alarming rate, but by now, this is old news.
Old or not, though, the virus is still affecting the lives of many, including those unemployed, ill, homeschooled, and families with children. Children are having to adapt to staying home while they do their schoolwork and to socialize in a more virtual way.
This could be a stressful time for kids, especially if they had never experienced something like this before, and parents that are having to stay home with them may feel like they are not doing enough to keep their children occupied and mentally stable.
“Many parents believe that the way to be there for their kids during a crisis is to sacrifice their own needs for their children. I’ve already seen this happen during the coronavirus outbreak. Parents are so focused on making things run smoothly for their kids that they’re running themselves ragged…” said Lori Gottlieb in her article with the Atlantic. “But nobody can function like this for long, and eventually parents’ own anxiety will become worse as a result. And if there’s one thing in a household that’s as contagious as a virus, it’s anxiety.”
If parents are able to stay calm when discussing COVID-19 with their children and the outcomes of the outbreak, it could help ease a lot of the anxiety many children may face through these transitions. However, it is not only mental health that parents should worry about. Just like adults, children can also be carriers for COVID-19.
That is why it is critical for kids to stay home, according to an article from Consumer Reports.
“[The first reason for children to stay home], though coronavirus will inevitably spread, [is] we want to slow it down, so hospitals aren’t inundated at once,” said Sean O’Leary in an interview with Consumer Reports. “Second, we want to protect the elderly and other vulnerable populations with underlying health conditions from getting the virus because they are more likely to develop severe illness.”
Children, while their symptoms are not as noticeable, can affect their grandparents if they are visiting, which can be detrimental to their grandparents’ health. It is important to keep conversations with family and peers virtual or over the phone and to reschedule playdates until quarantining is over.
While being locked up with the kids may cause stress to some parents, there are a few activities that may help ease any tensions when they are not working on homework. A few activities parents can do with their children include video/board games, crafts, games that require physical activity, movie marathons, and whatever else is intriguing to the kid and parent.
In these times, it is about working together and staying calm as to relieve any of the stress the virus has caused many around the world. Staying physically active and mentally stable can help the parents and children continue an easier transition to being quarantined.
