The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected almost everyone. Adults found it hard to adjust to working from home when they have spent most of their days in the office. Many saw it challenging to juggle working and taking care of the kids. However, only a few people focus on how equally difficult the pandemic has been for the children. Several children were also forced to stop schooling and attending many of their extra-curricular activities.
In fact, some people think that children loved the idea of not going to school and just staying at home. However, like adults, they also undergo stress and anxiety because of the uncertainty brought by the pandemic. Here are some ways can we ensure that our children remain holistically healthy amid the pandemic:
Physical Health
If your kids are used to being physically active, the lull of staying at home can cause their bodies to suffer from the sudden change. Here are some tips to help them stay fit:
Engage in Exercise
Allow your kids to play sports. If you have a backyard, set up an area where they can play soccer. If you have a pool at home, give them a schedule when they should swim as part of their daily routine. For those with limited space at home, going for quick jogs or leisurely walks within the neighborhood while following safety precautions will help keep them active. Check out child-friendly summer programs in your area if you are not living in a COVID hotspot.
Attend Checkups
If your child needs to go to their check-ups, communicate with their pediatrician or family medicine physician whether they need to be seen personally or if your child can have online consultations. The pandemic has given rise to telemedicine, where patients can do online checkups and even online testings. Some institutions like Helix Hearing Care have launched online hearing tests to assist those with hearing impairments.
Emotional Health
Kids also think about their future, and it can take a toll on their mental health. Some may even ask you why they haven’t been allowed to do the things they’ve been doing before the pandemic. For example, a little girl who has been attending a ballet class pre-pandemic may suddenly feel sad because they haven’t been able to dance and meet her friends. Here’s what you can do:
Organize a Virtual Meet-Up
Connect with your child’s friend’s parents and set up a day when they can virtually meet and do activities together. For children, seeing familiar faces other than their family can bring some sense of normalcy because it allows them to bond with other people.
Spend Quality Time Together
Being in the same house for 24 hours does not mean that you are spending these precious moments together. With parents working from home and kids doing school at home, bonding times can become limited. This can cause a rift in the relationship. Make sure that you have a dedicated time for your child to connect with them. Listen to what they have to say. Communicate with them and assure them that everything will be okay soon.
Help Them Transition
For adults working from home, the burden of doing multiple things at the same time can be challenging. Children can feel the same way, too. Now that schools are slowly opening face-to-face interactions, your child may feel anxious about their health. While they may be excited about the idea of meeting their friends again, the minimum health protocols they have to adhere to may be something new for them. Help them to slowly transition to the new normal by talking to them and showing empathy about what they are feeling.
Lives have significantly changed because of the pandemic, and children are also affected by it. Help them stay healthy holistically with these tips in mind.
