Help your child cope with the stress caused by Covid-19

From the time our country went into lockdown to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, our lives changed completely. Some people lost their jobs, other experienced salary cuts, and adjustments had to be made in many households. Children stopped going to school and could no longer play with their friends. Their daily routine was completely destroyed. 

While we may think that adults are the only ones who became stressed due to Covid-19, kids were also hugely impacted. It is up to you as a parent to help your child cope with this new way of life. 

How can parents help children cope? 

A concept that experts say can help children cope is the term “mindfulness”. So important is “mindfulness”  that it’s predicted it will soon be added into the South African school curriculum. Nan Lutz, mindfulness coach and Mindfulness Africa director, explains the concept and how it can be practiced to help parents and their children cope.

Being mindful of mindfulness

According to Lutz, mindfulness is something that we often do naturally. “It’s about being in the present moment and paying attention to what we’re doing,” she explains.  Lutz emphasises that kindness and compassion are an important part of mindfulness and includes being kind and compassionate to both others and to our children.

Techniques that parents can use with their kids to be more mindful 

Create a routine

• Create a new routine with your child, and make sure this is one that’s helpful for both you and your child in terms of workload and support.

Change your attitude

• Change your frame of mind from “this is a disaster” to “I will overcome this”. Your child will copy your positive attitude.
• View mindfulness as learning, and allow it to take up some space in your child’s day.
• Make a choice to show up and be present with your children, giving them your undivided attention for a period each day to create that soothing connection.

Mindful breathing and movement

• When in a stressful situation, take a moment to take three deep breaths, focusing on the inhale and the exhale.
• Use a breathing buddy with your child – a soft toy or pillow that can be placed on their stomach as they take three deep belly breaths, or practice gentle breathing. Have them focus on their breathing buddy as it rocks with their breathing
• Take a walk around the garden or house, taking time to notice things like a flower or insect using all your senses.

Practice gratitude

• Set a time in the day to write down something you’re grateful for, and place it into a gratitude jar, or write down three things that you’re grateful for in a daily gratitude journal.
• At bedtime, ask your children what happened during the course of their day that went well or that they are grateful for. You can also ask what they’re looking forward to the following day.

Spend time with pets

• Stroking a pet’s fur will introduce a new texture sensation that can help bring you out of a state of fear. This can also work with soft toys.

Practical ideas for parents to help kids in a panic situation 

Here are some other top tips to help bring you or your kids back into a more present and mindful state:

• Take three deep breaths, focusing on your breathing
• Stroke materials with different textures to soothe and realign the brain. If you or your child are particularly anxious, carry something with a soft texture with you in the car or your bag.
• Use your senses to notice things around you to notice five things that you can see – four things that you can touch, three things that you can hear, two things that you can smell, and one thing that you can taste.