Little Ones and Covid

Change is always difficult with little ones, let alone change caused by a pandemic. In this month's newsletter we are talking about how to navigate Covid and lockdowns with our little ones

SURVIVING LOCKDOWN
As we enter the fourteenth of lockdown in Sydney, COVID 19 and the worldwide pandemic is very real. Especially for those with young families at home. The unknowns are high and control is not ours. This is difficult for us as parents, and for some, anxiety levels are high. This is very understandable and no matter who you are, the effects are very real.

There is definitely no right way to be doing lockdown. Your family and your children are individuals and what is working in one house may not work in another. But here are a few of the tips we talked about over the last month on social media, hopefully you may find them helpful for you and your little ones.

We want to help our kids be the best that they can be. We want to meet the need for our kids to feel safe. We want to be the leaders for our children, helping them to cope with the uncertainty.

Maintaining our sanity at this time is a priority, things that may help us with this are finding a routine that works for you and your family. If you are fitting in working from home and home schooling then finding a balance is essential. Finding ways to help the kids to know when you are in an important meeting or to let your boss know that your kids are having a tough day today. Finding some flexibility is difficult but needed. Taking care of ourselves and finding some time each day to be alone will help us to remain calm and help our kids be the amazing people they are.

Relationships and connection with our kids are so important, if time off from learning is needed then it is what it is. Kids will catch up and learn as they need to. As Dr Justin Coulson says, being Calm and Kind is a great family mantra!

DOCTORS VISITS AND COVID
Lockdown and the uncertainty that this brings increases our overall reactivity to everything. So when our child is unwell and needs to see a doctor this can be overwhelming, especially when the procedure is so different.

Our caregivers need to have masks and gowns on and so some of the friendliness that is conveyed with a smile may be lost. Many of you will have found ways to talk to your children about covid and what this entails. Children have amazing imaginations, so being creative with why people need to wear masks may be helpful. Such as the doctors and nurses have on super suits to give them powers to fight off the germs.

For your child imagining that they are a superhero may also be helpful. Being Batman to go to the doctors with a cape may actually empower your child to feel better about the visit. ‘I am Batman’ and ‘If Batman can cope with strange people looking at him and can do a covid test, I can too!.'

Children want to have some control over their visit, it helps them to worry less. A way to handle this is giving them with just enough information to be able to help themselves. 'We need to have a covid test. What do you think will help you get through it? Counting, telling the doctor when to go, deep breath, sitting on Mum or Dad's lap?'. A little bit of control over the process may help them to feel better. We want our kids to know that we see them, and their worries, that we are here to help as much as possible.

TRANSITIONING BACK TO POST LOCKDOWN LIFE
So as we start to make the transition back to school, work and activities, lots of these points are still valid. Helping our kids to deal with any anxieties they may have as they begin to see their friends again. Or realise that being in the classroom again for longer periods is more difficult than they remember. The noise and the distractions will be real. Understanding that our kids will need a release valve at the end of their days. This could be talking or this could be physical. Helping them with a listening understanding ear will help them feel seen and heard.

To everyone dealing with lockdown right now and to everyone who will deal with a lockdown in the future - You have got this and are doing an amazing job!