By the end of 2019, China was invaded by a coronavirus, or as the scientists tend to call COVID 19. This Virus is new to the history of human beings, as well as it is regarded as a dangerous illness since the patient itself has a crucial role in the spread of this Virus.
As of writing this piece, the Virus has affected 212 countries and 3.5 million people worldwide. The infected countries have adapted several policies to protect their citizens; the initial decision was the obligation of social isolation.
Parenting during COVID 19 isolation
This social isolation affected all sides of life, like the closure of schools, which led kids to stay at home. As well as, it gave the parents a chance to get closer with their kids and practice their parenthood much more than ever before.
This social isolation has also affected kids’ mental health more than anything else, as they used to spend all their time outside playing. So staying at home is regarded as a strange issue, which might push them to be aggressive most of the time. In this case, parents should take a set of decisions to manage their kids’ stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, and here some suggestions:
Shop Online
if you’re a new parent, it is likely that you do not have sufficient essentials for your newborn. But going out to your nearest supermarket can be risky. So, the best bet to purchase essentials like diapers, wipes, Lequeen diaper bags, clothes, swaddled, etc. is through online stores.
Talk about CoronaVirus
Parents should talk with their kids openly about the coronavirus, as they should know the reasons why the schools, why they can’t go outside, and why they can’t even visit their friends and beloveds. Therefore, the parents should talk clearly about COVID19, tell their children how it spread, its negatives, and all that they should know about the Virus. They should also be open about any questions their children ask and try to answer clearly, as they might hear a false thing on the news.
Moreover, the parents should tell their kids how to deal with coronavirus to protect themselves and take the safety steps; for example, they should clean their hands, and if ever they go out, they must not shake hands with strangers.
These simple actions will help parents to reveal the stress of their children, develop their children’s self-confidence, and keep their children safe.
Keep an eye on your children
Due to the schools’ closure, the children spend most of their time at home and especially online; they mainly have classes, watch cartoons or play online games; thus, they might face sexual exploitation. The reason the parents should always watch out on their children and manage their screen time to protect them from being used by the ghost of the internet.
Bring your children closer
Social isolation, because of COVID 19, has namely, stopped all the aspects of life. So all the family is gathered in one place, in this aspect parents should take advantage of this chance to spend one on one time with their beloveds.
Parents should try to interact more with their kids and let them feel that they are safe and loved, as COVID 19 pandemic might devastate their mental health. For example, the mother can ask her child for a hand while cooking, and let them play with flour and have fun; on the other hand, they can also arrange a barbecue in the garden, as a way of change.
Besides, they can play games like truth and dare to know their children’s interests, likes, dislikes, and skills.
Be positive
Staying with your children 24/7 hour will drive parents crazy, mainly if their children have bad behavior. So the best decision that should be taken is to be positive always, by spreading the good news and positive comments as well.
Parents should tell their kids that they will go back to their healthy life soon, telling them about the new changes in the world and the healed cases every day. The other thing is the parents shouldn’t get angry quickly, as it will drive their children to be more aggressive. Therefore, they should make challenges for their kids, for the one who arranges his/her room will be the one who chooses tonight’s movie. Positive comments when doing homework, drawing paint will also help children to feel the love of their parents.
Moreover, the parents should help their children to communicate with their friends and family members, like grandparents, by calling them video chats, and letting them talk about how they are spending their time.
Online classes
The closure of schools shouldn’t prevent pupils and students from continuing their studies. In this case, their parents have a crucial role in their education, as they should always check their kids’ progress and help them understand and solve the problems they face while learning online.
For instance, parents can make a schedule of the subject their children should learn every day; after each session, they give them a break so that they won’t feel bored, and in the end, they help them do their homework.
Besides that, they can also teach their kids how to do things, like searching in Google, applying for an online class, and depending on themselves. This will help in developing children’s self-confidence.
Beware of the impact of sadness on your social relationships
Such social inclinations are often far from ideal. Where an abundance of research indicates the harmful effects of isolation, which is a severe public health problem in some countries that are experiencing an acceleration in the aging population but talking about isolation as a “pandemic” is exaggerated inflation.
In the UK, the Royal College of Practitioners says that loneliness is just as dangerous as causing diabetes in sudden death. Strong social connections are crucial to cognitive functioning, motor functions, and the smooth functioning of the immune system.
This is especially evident in cases of severe social isolation. Examples that come from people who have been in captivity for a while, children who have been forced into isolation in abusive orphan care centers, or prisoners who are placed in solitary confinement, all show that prolonged isolation can lead to hallucinations and other forms of mental disorder.
But these are not optional and extreme cases of isolation. Concerning those who prefer us to have enough time for unity, new studies carry good news that there are positive aspects of isolation, both in terms of our practical life and our psychological state.
