Uncharted Territory
Hello again! It has been a while since I have created a blog post. In light of the current COVID-19 situation that we have going on in our country right now, I thought it would be helpful to jump on here and give you a few thoughts about dealing with this with young children.
This is uncharted territory for all of us. It can be scary, it is causing our schedules and routines to change and is unpredictable. For those of us who are planners, the unpredictability is a frustrating feeling! There are a lot of BIG feelings happening right now in adults and that will inevitably spread over to the children in our lives. Dr. Becky Bailey says that "our state dictates their state" and I have found this to be true. I would like to offer some suggestions for both helping children navigate with us through the feelings and some easy and fun ways to pass the time while we are all at home over the next weeks.
1. Take a deep breath. Yes, this is uncharted territory but the good news is, we can do this! When we actively and intentionally take breaths to calm ourselves, we can compose our state which in turn helps to dictate and compose their state.
2. Turn the TV and the News off for a little bit. Yes, information is important. We really do need to be informed of the situation that is currently going on in our country. HOWEVER, taking a break from the information is important. There is so much information on every channel, on Facebook, everywhere you turn and that information will be repeated. Take a step back even for just an hour and let your mind take a break. Taking a break will also allow your feelings about what is happening take a break as well.
3. Model calmness and answer any questions that your children might have, while being mindful of their ages and their development. Remember that it is okay to say "I am not sure" or "I don't know". There are a lot of questions that everyone has, and unfortunately, we may not have the answers yet. Waiting is hard, but waiting together is a little easier.
4. Find a time everyday to laugh with your family. Make up silly songs, silly words, giggle together! Laughter is good for us! It helps to regulate our emotions and calm our brains.
5. Try your best to keep some kind of routine. Our brains are pattern seeking and right now the pattern is off. Routine can make children feel safe and that is important always and especially right now while they are missing school, missing their teachers and friends and things are "up in the air". That routine can be as simple as providing time every day to move their bodies, have a dance party, do some yoga, jump on a trampoline. Provide time to be calm everyday. Even if your child doesn't nap, some quiet time is important. Be as consistent as possible. It's a hard time for schedules and routine but any type of routine and schedule will be helpful.
This is uncharted territory for all of us. It can be scary, it is causing our schedules and routines to change and is unpredictable. For those of us who are planners, the unpredictability is a frustrating feeling! There are a lot of BIG feelings happening right now in adults and that will inevitably spread over to the children in our lives. Dr. Becky Bailey says that "our state dictates their state" and I have found this to be true. I would like to offer some suggestions for both helping children navigate with us through the feelings and some easy and fun ways to pass the time while we are all at home over the next weeks.
Navigating Feelings
2. Turn the TV and the News off for a little bit. Yes, information is important. We really do need to be informed of the situation that is currently going on in our country. HOWEVER, taking a break from the information is important. There is so much information on every channel, on Facebook, everywhere you turn and that information will be repeated. Take a step back even for just an hour and let your mind take a break. Taking a break will also allow your feelings about what is happening take a break as well.
3. Model calmness and answer any questions that your children might have, while being mindful of their ages and their development. Remember that it is okay to say "I am not sure" or "I don't know". There are a lot of questions that everyone has, and unfortunately, we may not have the answers yet. Waiting is hard, but waiting together is a little easier.
4. Find a time everyday to laugh with your family. Make up silly songs, silly words, giggle together! Laughter is good for us! It helps to regulate our emotions and calm our brains.
5. Try your best to keep some kind of routine. Our brains are pattern seeking and right now the pattern is off. Routine can make children feel safe and that is important always and especially right now while they are missing school, missing their teachers and friends and things are "up in the air". That routine can be as simple as providing time every day to move their bodies, have a dance party, do some yoga, jump on a trampoline. Provide time to be calm everyday. Even if your child doesn't nap, some quiet time is important. Be as consistent as possible. It's a hard time for schedules and routine but any type of routine and schedule will be helpful.
Some Activity Ideas
1. Dance Party!
2. Storyline Online is a great resource for children's books that are read by actors and actress. They add great voices, show the book to the children and is just a really fun resource.
3. Several zoos have live web cams that allow children to observe animals that they might not get to see in "real life".
4. Let your child help you cook a meal in the kitchen. This is not only a bonding time for you and your child, but allows you to bring in health and safety concepts, math concepts, science concepts and allows them to practice both their gross and fine motor skills.
5. Create cards and/or notes for nursing home/rehab facilities. Most of these facilities are on lock down right now and people are not being able to have visitors. This can be a very lonely and uncertain time for them. Your child can bring a bit of joy to those who can't have visitors by creating cards, dictating to you words of encouragement to write on them and then you can get the address and mail these. Just imagine the joy that your family could share during this time!!
6. Create a gratitude journal or page with your family. Thankfulness is so very important during this time. You can write as your child dictates to you, help your child write the words and/or allow your child to draw a picture of what they are thankful for.
In this time of uncertainty hold your babies close, take a deep breath and know that this too shall pass! We will get through this and we are better together!
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