Blog Post
COVID-19
3 April 2020
Ann Linehan Educational psychologist gives tips to parents and carers on COVID-19.
Some Suggestions that you may find helpful:
For Parents/Caregivers:
• If your family is isolated or quarantined, reassure everyone that this will be temporary.
• Recognize that feelings such as loneliness, boredom, fear of contracting disease, anxiety, stress, and panic are normal reactions to this stressful situation. Reassure children that everyone is doing their best to fight the virus and that the best health experts in the world are working to get rid of it.
• Talk about their feelings and validate these. Help them express their feelings through drawing or other creative activities.
• Keep updated about what is happening, and any new recommendations by getting information from credible media outlets, local public health authorities, and updates from public health websites (e.g., HSE,CDC, WHO).
• Seek support and continued connections from friends and family by talking to them on the telephone, texting, or communicating through email or social media. Schools may have additional ways to stay in contact with teachers and classmates.
• Although you need to stay informed, minimize exposure to media outlets or social media that might promote fear or panic. Be particularly aware of (and limit) how much media coverage or social media time your children are exposed to. Try not to have news channels constantly on in the background.
• Check in regularly with your children about what they have viewed on the Internet and clarify any misinformation.
• Focus on supporting children by encouraging questions and helping them understand the current situation. Use age appropriate language and information. There are some very good resources on HSE.ie.
• Clarify misinformation or misunderstandings about how the virus is spread and that not every respiratory disease is COVID-19.
• Provide comfort and a bit of extra patience. Reassure your children that everyone is working very hard to get rid of this virus and to get things back to normal as soon as possible.
• Check back in with your children on a regular basis or when the situation changes.
WWW.EVOLVETHERAPY.IE
ONLINE THERAPY COVID 19 SUPPORT EVOLVE THERAPY
Scheduling and Activities:
• Try to keep your family’s schedule consistent when it comes to bedtimes, meals, and exercise.
• If you are continuing to engage in schoolwork, it can be helpful if a specific time slot is kept for schoolwork each day.
• Create a quiet space for schoolwork. If a separate room is not available, a work station can be created in one of the quieter rooms in the house.
• Make time to do things at home that have made you and your family feel better in other stressful situations, such as reading, watching movies, listening to music, playing games, exercising, or engaging in religious activities.
• If your child does not enjoy reading independently, try audio books that they can listen to while reading the text.
• Have children participate in distance learning opportunities that may be offered by their schools or other institutions/organizations. There are also some fun and educational websites that children can access e.g. www.scoilnet.ie; www.scholastic.ie; mathletics.com; etc.
• Relaxation or mindfulness techniques, spending time outdoors (within social /physical distancing guidelines), caring for pets, sensory/movement activities can all help in reducing anxiety.
Hygiene and Medical Care:
• Find ways to encourage proper hygiene and health promoting behaviour with your children (create drawings to remember family routines; sing a song for length needed to wash hands like the A-B-C or Happy Birthday song, twice).
• Include them in household jobs or activities so they feel a sense of accomplishment.
• Provide praise and encouragement for engaging in household jobs and good
hygiene.
• Reassure your children that you will take them to the doctor and get medical care if
needed. Explain, however, that not every cough or sneeze means that they or others have COVID-19.
Adapted from the NCTSN and SAMHSA.gov.
Services
WWW.EVOLVETHERAPY.IE