Coping with Kids in Lockdown….

It’s so important for parents (me included) to try to help kids 1) have a routine – ie getting up and going to bed at same time, having breakfast, lunch and dinner at same time and some other routine as far as possible which is really hard when both parents or the parent is working and homeschooling. Do your best, but go easy on yourselves if you don’t have a perfect schedule, just aim for that minimum of waking time, bed time, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Incorporate some ritual/s in to your days eg Friday is make a pizza together day or Tuesday is movie and popcorn night. Routines that are predicable are very important for kids’ wellbeing

2) Nutrition. Ensuring fruit and vegetables feature in every meal! We recently went to the pharmacy and got Vitamin D drops and Vitamin C tablets since our son is not getting as much sunlight as he would normally get at school.

3) Play. Play. Play. Let your kids play, play with your kids for 20-30 solid minutes here and there. This is how kids process emotions. Also painting and drawing.

4) Love. Hugs. Connection. Laughter. This is what will help your kids survive this the most. All kids need that attachment with their parents.

5) Connection with friends and family online – try to organise an activity online – this app https://caribu.com/ allows you to do something with a family member (colour in or read) online or choose an activity like cooking a recipe etc together. It’s hard if they are young, but facilitate kids to meet online and teach them how to interact, show and tell etc

6) Take it easy on screen time stress right now. Read this wonderful article from the NY Times on Screen Time https://www.nytimes.com/…manage-screen-time…

7) Use the things your kids love as reinforcers or rewards for doing what you need them to get done. Today we used an ipad (with an educational app that seems fun) to reward our son for finishing a poem and getting dressed (it’s hard to get him out of his PJs these days)

8) Use life skills as learning opportunities – maths and english while cooking a recipe; maths and english while playing Scrabble (child has to add up scores); reading by reading a comic; playing hangman in the language/s your child is learning; etc etc

9) Move, dance, however you can and have pillow fights to release some energy

10) Get ahead of the issues, and book to see one of our Child and Adolescent Therapists to talk about how to manage issues at home and / or to give your child space to express their big emotions – a therapist can facilitate this expression and processing of big emotions because they have been trained in understanding child development Get in touch with us if you think we might be able to help you.

Most of all, parents, be compassionate to yourselves and your kids. There will be moments we do not behave well, all of us… give each other forgiveness, and apologies and keep trying. Hang in there.

Here are some extra articles we love

Making the ‘New Normal’ Work – How to help kids, teens, and your family through social isolation.

Making the ‘New Normal’ Work – How to help kids, teens, and your family through social isolation.

Independent play is a skill your kids will use for the rest of their lives — and a way to claim some time for yourself during quarantine.

Parents can let down their guard a bit. What matters is child, content and context.