Covid-stress: Parents keeping kids busy to beat anxiety, isolation

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

Can’t go to work? Schools closed? Worried about money? It’s normal to feel stressed and overwhelmed.

“Kids are re-learning to live in different manner and understanding that they still can be happy when indoors, they don’t need to buy new things and not running out of house on every pretext. There are no complaints for not being able to take them to parks,” said Gurpreet Kaur, a parent.

Another parent, Anamika Vohra said, “Kids are mostly getting anxious but I get my kid in most of activities at home such as cooking, playing games or reading story books.”

Dr Nidhi Khurana says, “The schools are sending assignments to keep the children occupied. With the moms and dads at home, it’s a good time to bond.”

The World Health Organization says that school shutdown is also a chance to make better relationships with our children and teenagers. One-on-one time with parents is now free and fun. It makes children feel loved and secure and shows them that they are important. Covid-19 has taken away our daily work, home and school routines.

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To help parents interact constructively with their children during this time of confinement, the WHO has rolled out some parenting tips for their children to beat the stress

You are not alone

Millions of people have the same fears as us. Find someone who you can talk to about how you are feeling. Listen to them. Avoid social media that makes you feel panicked

Take a pause

One-minute relaxation activity that you can do whenever you are feeling stressed or worried

Step 1: Set up

• Find a comfortable sitting position with your hands resting in your lap. • Close your eyes if you feel comfortable.

Step 2: Think, feel, body

• Ask yourself, “What am I thinking now?” • Notice your thoughts. Notice if they are negative or positive. • Notice how you feel emotionally. Notice if your feelings are happy or not. • Notice how your body feels. Notice anything that hurts or is tense.

Step 3: Focus on your breath

• Listen to your breath as it goes in and out. • You can put a hand on your stomach and feel it rise and fall with each breath. • You may want to say to yourself “It’s okay. Whatever it is, I am okay.” • Then just listen to your breath for a while

Step 4: Coming back

• Notice how your whole body feels. • Listen to the sounds in the room

Step 5: Reflecting

• Think ‘do I feel different at all?’ • When you are ready, open your eyes.

Switch off the TV and phone. This is virus-free time

• Read a book or look at pictures

• Go for a walk – outdoors or around the home

• Dance to music or sing songs

• Do a chore together – make cleaning and cooking a game

• Help with school work

It’s all in the delivery

Shouting at your child will just make you and them more stressed and angrier. Get your child’s attention by using their name. Speak in a calm voice

Make handwashing fun

• Make a 20-second song for washing hands. Add actions! Give children points and praise for regular hand washing

• Make a game to see how few times we can touch our faces with a reward for the least number of touches (you can count for each other)

Be a model for your child’s behaviour

If you practice keeping safe distances and hygiene yourself, and treat others with compassion, especially those who are sick or vulnerable – your children and teenagers will learn from you

Heroes not bullies

Explain that Covid-19 has nothing to do with the way someone looks, where they are from or what language they speak. Tell your child that we can be compassionate to people who are sick and those who are caring for them. Look for stories of people who are working to stop the outbreak and are caring for sick people.