How to Stay Strong for Your Kids During a Crisis
We keep hearing about how much we can do during this pandemic. Use your free time to learn a new language or build a go-cart…
But what if you’re using all your available energy just to hold everything together?
With this COVID19 crisis (and with any crisis) comes a great deal of stress and uncertainty. It’s an interesting time to be alive, for sure, but it’s also a scary time. We’re all worried about our health, our loved ones and the economy. We’re worried that our neighbourhood resident-owned shops will soon cease to exist and the world as we know it will be forever changed.
And through it all, some of us are dealing with a personal loss.
So how do we actually hold it all together and stay strong for the kids during a crisis?
Lead with honesty
Depending on your children’s age, they may or may not know what’s going on. Use age-appropriate explanations to keep them informed of what’s going on in the world. For the most part, especially if your kids are young, you can keep it limited to the things that will have an impact on your kids’ lives.
Being proactive about these discussions will give your child a greater sense of security because they aren’t left to wonder or worry on their own. And it will help ensure you’re prepared for the conversation instead of fielding questions throughout the day.
Practice self-care
Regardless of how you may be feeling in the moment, it’s important to practice self-care daily. This will look different for everyone, but be sure you’re taking at least 10 minutes a day to do something relaxing for yourself.
Maybe it’s a warm bath or maybe it’s a quiet ride in your new Genesis sedan. Do something that helps recharge your battery so you can avoid burnout. Even if you’re furloughed and have nothing productive to do, you can burn out from stress during this crisis.
Avoid vices
Now is a time when many dads (and mums, too) are getting addicted to alcohol and hard-to-quit pain pills. These are vices that people tend to turn to in times of stress, but they will inevitably cause more trouble in the long run. This is why it’s important to find healthy outlets for stress, so you can avoid leaning on unhealthy crutches that can end up destroying your life.
It’s impossible to stay strong for your kids if you’re addicted to booze or pills.
Take breaks
Whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, give yourself permission to take a break. If things are getting tense and your emotions are feeling out of control, excuse yourself and go for a walk. Or if you can’t do that, simply spend a few minutes in a quiet room. Regardless of how old your
children are, they can occasionally be left for five minutes or longer under the right (safe) conditions.
Be kind to yourself
When you’re in the thick of homeschool with the children, tensions can run high. And if you’re like most parents, these moments make you feel terrible. Try to recount the laughs you shared together each day instead of the tension.
Another way you can be kind to yourself is by letting go of strict expectations. Many parents are now struggling with the amount of screen time kids are getting. Remind yourself that it’s temporary.
Remember to take care of yourself during this crisis too, and you’ll have an easier time staying strong for the kids.
