If you have little ones at home with you, you may have noticed some changes in their behavior. I know I have noticed some regression with my children. My son has gone from being completely potty trained, morning and night, to wetting the bed again almost nightly. My daughter has gone from never using a pacifier, except for between the ages of 6 months and a year, to wanting to have one in her mouth almost non-stop. Changes can be hard for little people and we have had some big changes lately. As I am sure many of you have as well. They don’t have the means to express what they are feeling so it usually comes out in actions. Maybe they regress a little, like mine have done, or maybe their behavior changes.
I started doing some research for myself and then thought that if I am having these problems, maybe someone else is too and could benefit from what I dug up. In most of the articles that I read, a common theme is having a good routine or schedule. This is true for everyday life as well but especially during times of unrest. Since we can’t do all of the things we normally would or see all of the people that we normally do, we have had to improvise and make up a new routine for our daytime. Daily walks and dance parties have become a new normal part of our routine.
Most importantly, try to be understanding, sensitive, calm and responsive. I know I always feel better when I have someone to listen to me and understand. Kids are the same way. It helps to protect them from the harmful effects of distressing experiences.
Here is a list of resources for helping children through these hard times:
References
Bain, D. (April 6, 2020). How does COVID-19 anxiety impact children? Strategies for parents, teachers and caregivers to manage hidden stress affecting kids during coronavirus lockdown. Retrieved from https://www.wftv.com/living/family/how-does-covid-19-anxiety-impact-children/BJPFJVKN4FHARLAIGZMEEPG3JI/.
Rohmiller, M. (March 30, 2020). Special education rights during COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.familyequality.org/2020/03/30/special-education-rights-during-covid-19-pandemic/.
Sacharow, F. (March 26, 2020). Strategies to help children cope with the new reality created by COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.rutgers.edu/news/strategies-help-children-cope-new-reality-created-covid-19.
Thompson, F. (April 2, 2020). Parents of children with special needs navigate new routines amid COVID-19. Retrieved from https://q13fox.com/2020/04/02/parents-of-children-with-special-needs-navigate-new-routines-amid-covid-19/.
Bologna, C. (March 27, 2020). 10 Mental health signs to watch out for in kids in the age of COVID-19: Child psychologists share their advice for concerned parents during this time of uncertainty. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kids-mental-health-signs-coronavirus_l_5e7e2867c5b6cb9dc19f37ff.
Hershberg, R. S. (March 12, 2020). Parenting during COVID-19: A bulleted list to stick up on the fridge. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/little-house-calls/202003/parenting-during-covid-19.
Bartlett, J. D., Griffin, J., & Thomson, D. (March 19, 2020). Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.childtrends.org/publications/resources-for-supporting-childrens-emotional-well-being-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.
Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/helping-children-cope-with-changes-resulting-from-covid-19.
Marcoux, H. (April 09, 2020). Why your big kid wants to be a ‘baby’ right now. Retrieved from https://www.mother.ly/news/child-regression-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic.
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