Helping Your Family Navigate COVID-19
Helping Your Family Navigate COVID-19
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, social distancing is one of the key strategies in “flattening the curve” of infection rates. This involves individuals or families staying within their homes or distancing themselves from others. With routines disrupted and families thrown into close quarters, it is important to ensure that your family is happy, healthy, and well.
How to talk to your children about COVID-19
Regardless of the age of your child, there are some important steps you can take to ensure you are giving the correct information without causing unnecessary alarm.
- Understand exactly what information your child wants to know versus what they think they already know
- If your children have access to screens, monitor what information they are engaging with
- Stick to basic, easy-to-understand facts when discussing COVID-19
- Have a discussion with your family members to see what everyone sees as the biggest challenge, and how everyone can help
- When speaking, use a calm tone and give them a measure of control
It’s important to remember that experts encourage parents to listen to and empathize with their children’s fears, speak truthfully about the situation in an age-appropriate manner and put the situation into context.
Keeping Families Active and Healthy
With the closure of schools and workplaces, many more families face the prospect of long periods of time at home and secluded from others. It is still important to participate in healthy activities, even if the very important social distancing is a hurdle. Some other ways parents can keep families active and healthy include:
- Head to a trail for an outdoor hike
- Use the stairs in your home for exercise when you cannot go outdoors
- Tap into online Yoga for fun with the kids
- Play chess, checkers or other ‘old school’ board games
- Challenge the kids to some fun ‘Minute to Win It’ games
- Get creative with playdates. Use technology creatively: give them permission to FaceTime or play video games with friends
- Go for a bike ride
- Play in the backyard
Maintaining a Routine
To reduce anxiety and fear in your children, try to keep their schedule as routine as a school day. This video with Ruth Rumack’s Learning Space will provide some tips to keep your child engaged and learning during the extended break.
If you wish to keep your children engaged with their academics, Scholastic has introduced a Learn at Home program, with day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. The program is available for children beginning in PreK, and beyond Grade 6.
A few tips to maintaining a routine include:
- Instead of looking at large time blocks, break the day in smaller, manageable chunks of 30-60 minutes.
- Be flexible. Do not feel pressured to stick to a specific schedule, but instead go by the flow of the day. If your children are learning or playing nicely, do not interfere.
- If necessary, adjust schedules to fit the individualized needs of your child
Supports for Employees and Families
The developing circumstances around the global COVID-19 pandemic are uncertain and can create worry and difficult situations for some people. Employees are encouraged to connect with their supervisors if they have questions. Information is also updated regularly in the FAQs on the Human Resources COVID-19 webpage.
Resources and supports for employees and their families are also available through Homewood Health, our Employee & Family Assistance Plan Provider.
COVID-19, Employee Well-being, Health & Safety, Things to Know, TMG