Coping and Staying Emotionally Well during COVID-19-related School Closures
Tips for Staying Well
To help you cope through this stressful period, consider the following tips for staying well:
Maintain routines as much as possible:
Meals, bed time, and school work time should remain as close to typical as possible. Play outside, do some chores around the house. Keep you room clean and help your family. Timers work well to help with keeping on task and limiting/monitoring certain things during the day (parents: this is a great tool because then you are not saying when things are happening, the timer does and that can create a little less conflict).
Practice healthy habits and the kinds of self-care that work for you:
Prioritize getting a healthy amount of sleep, eating well, and moving or exercising regularly. Limit screen time as too much of this can increase anxiety. Kids can build up adrenaline when they have too much screen time, and this adrenaline builds up and becomes irritability and anger, so kids need a break from that. As a family, it is good to do things together such as taking walks, playing games, and anything else positive to pass the time.
Avoid crowds - but stay connected:
School closures can mean you can not see your friends or extended family that you normally see. Make efforts through social media, email, texting, video calling, and yes, even through video games!
Ask questions about the school closure, or the virus, if you feel comfortable doing so:
However, try not to become too worried about it and look for reassurance from your parents, loved ones, and/or doctor.
Take breaks to ease your mind and distract youself when you start to worry:
Play a game. Watch a movie. Exercise. Draw. Listen to music, and dance and sing. Try deep, relaxing breathing and visualizing your happy place. Self-talk and reassure yourself that you will be okay.
Please feel free to contact me at the school if you have any questions or concerns about your child. Be safe and well, and take care of each other!
Each family is different and will learn how to find what works for them together at home. There is so much uncertainty and no one really knows what is going to happen, but we can not focus on that. his creates too much anxiety, so just step back, take it one day (hour, minute, second!) at a time and live in the moment.
Please visit these websites for more information and stategies to reduce stress in children:
www.kidshealth.org (Stress and Mindfulness Activities)
www.PositivePsychology.com (25 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Children and Teens)
...there are so many resources available to you on this topic. You can google "Mindfulness for Children", Kids' Stress Management", etc.
Please feel free to contact me at the school if you need additional support or strategies:
(315) 895-7491...leave me a message and I will contact you as soon as possible.