Nurture Your Family’s Mental Well-Being During COVID-19

Written By QCC

Managing your and your family’s mental health during a global pandemic is pretty stressful, right? Well, you are not alone.

Adults the world over are dealing with increased feelings of anxiety, and so are their children. When you take into consideration the immediate and tough adjustments made by families in their daily lives, such as being at work and school one day and then socially distancing at home the next in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, it is understandable.

Then, add in the feelings of isolation from staying at home, financial worries, the need for access to child care if the parent is an essential worker, as well as the pressure to help children continue learning and thriving even while sheltering in place. It can be overwhelming to say the least.

It’s important to understand that anxiety is a normal reaction to what you may be experiencing. It’s also essential to realize that teens and younger children, who have even less control and understanding of their current situation, may need help managing their worries and feelings.

With all of these stressors at play, finding positive ways to deal with the strain is crucial to maintaining your stability and mental well-being, as well as that of your children. We’ve compiled some tips from experts below, who all agree that the first step in dealing with anxiety is to recognize and understand it.

Tips for Adults

  • As hard as it may be, practice some self-care everyday even if it is a short walk just for you, a warm bath, or even enjoying a piece of chocolate you’ve hidden away for times like these!

  • Cut down on your news, especially in front of the children, and make sure it is from reliable sources.

  • Exercise! Jump rope with the kids, walk the dog, find free yoga online . . . you can do it.

  • Stay connected to friends, co-workers and family through letters, phone calls and virtual meetings with Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangouts and more.

  • Join an online or local warmline support group.

Tips for Young Children

  • Children take their cues from you, so model calmness even if you have to fake it.

  • You’ve heard it a dozen times by now. Keep the children on a schedule. Work together to create a flexible routine.

  • Stay honest but don’t answer questions with more than they need to know.

  • Arrange “virtual” play dates with friends and family. Swap days with other parents to host a virtual story time.

Tips for Teens

  • Help them understand what they are feeling and understand that it is completely normal.

  • Encourage them to go through whatever emotion they are feeling, and not to bottle it up. Missing the last track meet or their best friend’s birthday is sad, so let them cry if it helps.

  • Urge them to find ways to connect with friends and stay connected during this period. They can do home work with each other through FaceTime, hang with their class or team in GoogleMeet, or work on dance moves together on Zoom.

  • Introduce distractions: time for homework, family board/card games, teach them to cook or sew, and make sure they are doing chores.

Resources

QCC

For more than 40 years, Quality Care for Children's mission has been to ensure that Georgia’s infants and young children are nurtured and educated so that every child can reach their full potential by helping:

- child care programs provide nutritious meals and educational care to young children so they are ready for success in school,

- parents access quality child care so that they can attend college or succeed in the workplace.

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