Keeping Your Child Emotionally Healthy
- Arborland
- May 7, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 8, 2020
This time right now is a lot to process for children. The disruption of normal activities, the sudden split from friends, and the fear of the virus itself. This kind of thinking can take a toll on your child’s emotional health. In younger children, you might notice them being clingier or regression. Older children might be more irritable, and their moods will swing quickly.
So how can we help our children during this time of change and uncertainty?
Be a Good Role Model: Children are great imitators, and they always look to their parents to see how to react to certain situations. During this time, while you’re around your child constantly, modeling is so important. Kids learn from us how to manage stress and solve problems during difficult times. This also means that you parents need to take care of yourself and practice self-care. When you are calm, your child is calm.
Create a Flexible Routine: Structure makes kids feel safe, but that does not mean every second should be planned. The best thing you can do right now is be consistent. Have lunch around the same time each day. Carve out ten or fifteen minutes every day to talk with your child about their feelings or play a game. Your child will appreciate the routine and not the rigidness.
Be Honest: Always be honest with your child, but do not overshare. When your child asks you a question, be direct and to the point, and do not add in details that might seem important to adults. Tell them what you know and don’t know, but also add that people are working on this virus, and social distancing is being effective. Reassuring them that they are safe and protected at home is a big deal. Most importantly, acknowledge their feelings. This helps your child feel head, seen, and understood.
Relaxing Time: Whether this means screen time or outdoor time, your child needs a little while to relax. Let them watch a cartoon or a movie while you work, but be sure to monitor what they are watching. After, head outside and get some sunshine to replenish those vitamins. Both times will create memories, especially if the screen time is with the whole family.
Take care of your child and yourself!
This post offers thoughtful, practical ways to support children through uncertain times. I really appreciate the focus on routines, honesty, and modeling calm behavior, since kids mirror what they see. It reminds me how consistency matters in every field, even in my work with NIST Traceable Calibration Solutions, where reliability builds trust just like it does at home.
This is such a thoughtful post! Taking care of our children’s emotional health is so important, and modeling calm behavior really makes a difference. I also find that small self-care practices, like using a Natural Balm For Knee after long days of activity, help parents stay comfortable and energized, which in turn supports a calmer and more patient environment for kids.
This post offers such thoughtful, practical advice for supporting kids through stressful changes. I really appreciate the focus on routines and honest conversations, which make children feel secure and understood. For families needing extra help, options like Online therapy in Orange, CA can also provide professional support and guidance during challenging emotional times.
This is such a thoughtful guide for supporting children’s emotional well-being! I’d also add that monitoring your child’s overall health, including stress-related changes, can be very helpful. Services like biomarker testing services can provide insights into how stress or lifestyle changes may be affecting their physical and mental health, helping parents take proactive steps to support their child’s growth.
Great tips! I completely agree that staying calm and creating routines really helps children feel secure. For kids who struggle with focus or emotional regulation, like those with ADHD, having additional support can be crucial. Working with a psychiatrist for ADHD can provide strategies tailored to their needs, helping both parents and children navigate these challenging times more effectively.