Lock-down- How are kids coping?

In response to COVID-19 outbreak, most of the countries announced lockdown with hopes of fighting the new pandemic which has plagued the world.

However, how has this lockdown impacted the lives of young children who were forced out of their schools, playmates and daycare?

Even as several countries gradually begin lifting their lockdowns, schools however remained closed; and strict social restrictions continue to be implemented across the globe; leaving children especially those living in compromised home environments, extreme poverty, drug inflicted neighborhoods and households really vulnerable.

What parents are saying?

I have been talking to a few parents in the U.S. and some other countries whose kids have been affected in different ways due to this imposed lockdown.

“The father of my kids’ lives in New York while I work in Virginia.  Despite the distance, my kids always got to see their father at least once a month; and they kept looking forward to these visits.  But this pandemic changed everything.  They haven’t seen their father since the first week of march and they are suffering”

“Kayla, 6, is bored.  She does not enjoy her online classes.  In fact, she throws a tantrum each time she has a zoom meeting with her classmates.  She longs to see them face to face and play with them.  Will I ever go back to school again?’  she persistently asks, and I have no honest answer to give her” says another desperate mother.

“The kids have been eating non-stop.  Where they are specific meal times earlier; they have now been asking for snacks and meals every now and then.  It seems like they use food to overcome boredom and internal frustration.  My 13-year-old has already gained more than 8 lbs. in the last couple months”, says a father who is anxious about his kids health.

Is your child suffering from mental health related issues?

Stress and Anxiety:

Stress and anxiety may manifest themselves in different ways in each child.  The way that each child would react to stress is unique as well.   While some children may manifest their anxiety in physical forms like headaches, loss of appetite, or wetting the bed others may just throw tantrums or withdraw in their rooms. All of this is completely normal

Tips for Parents:

1. Have an honest and transparent conversation with your children.  Even if it means, acknowledging that you do not have all the answers yet
2. Let the information you provide be factual but in accordance with their age and level of understanding
3. Provide them with a sense of safety and security by imposing some structure; a predictable routine; so they know what is going to happen. 
4. Let your child know that not everything they hear on TV or the internet is accurate, and tell them you will help them find factual information as they need it.  Limit screen time for updates on the pandemic.
5. Keep them occupied; be creative; giving them tasks or challenges may help ease their anxiety.  Examples could include; making a birdhouse, cleaning their rooms, doing the laundry, or making thank you notes to the local assisted living home residents can go a long way.  Key is to keep their minds focused on a goal and not on things out of their control
6. Catch early signs of bad behavior and pluck it out as soon as it appears.  Talk gently but firmly.   Take a 10 second pause and breathe before you respond, this will help you respond in a calmer way
7. Promote healthy habits especially when it comes to hygiene.  Provide regular reminders of how and when to wash hands; especially after using the bathroom, before eating, after touching pets, after playing outside, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing their nose. Make it a family habit.

Excessive internet use:

The pandemic has now mandated kids do age-appropriate activities online that in the past have been done offline:  like; texting and use of social media sites for socializing with peers, exploring personal interests and study materials, shopping, listening to music, doing schoolwork, watching movies or TV.  Role-playing games allow kids to interact not only with friends, but to people around the world

However, when a child seems unhealthily focused on video games, to the point of social isolation, it may signal a red flag to the parents.  Moreover, spending more time indoors, makes children vulnerable to effects of indoor pollution which can affect their cognitive developmental abilities.

Some symptoms of Internet addiction include poor sleeping patterns and  losing track of time while on the Internet; becoming agitated, depressed, irritable or angry when Internet time is interrupted or if the Internet can’t be accessed;  lack of interest in schoolwork, homework or household chores, and loss of interest in meaningful activities, family moments  and other activities.    In addition, increased restlessness, moodiness, depression, hostility or irritability are other signs to be alert for.

Tips for Parents:

1)  Schedule your child’s online time.  Be it for school activities or for the purpose of socializing.  Set limits.

2)  Younger children and sometimes even the adolescents seek comfort from things that are soothing to their senses.  Give them something to soothe their minds while keeping them occupied.  Focus on all the 5 senses; Examples can include but are not limited to playdough, play sand (I recently bought some and my kids love making sand castles in the comfort of their backyard), stress balls and soft toys, non-toxic essential oils and candles, music and a ready playlist consisting of their favorite stars, reading, coloring and activity puzzles according to their age

3)  Do not hesitate to seek professional help when these techniques don’t help. 

Difficulties in attention and concentration:

With the change in schedule, children have a lot to deal with in their lives.  To feel stressed is okay.  To keep dwelling on it is not.  One early sign of stress or in kids can be sudden drop in concentration levels. They might require more than usual stimuli to focus on certain tasks or carry out something.

Tips for parents:

1. Choose a “learning-friendly” location with their own desk and chair.
2. Keep the area quiet and free of distractions.  No TV, internet, iPad or toys in the learning area, unless it is associated with learning itself.
3. Schedule a study time that best fits family routines.
4. Break up study time for children who have difficulty with concentration (30-40min study times instead of asking them to study 2 hours non-stop).
5. Require your child to finish his or her homework before enjoying other activities.

Changes in sleeping/eating patterns:

Many parents have observed unhealthy eating patterns in children; eating as a coping mechanism can lead to unhealthy diet patterns and long term illnesses.  While some kids may take to eating too much; others may withdraw from eating.

Tips for Parents:

1)            Taking time for family activities, taking a walk together, or just cuddling for a while watching some entertaining movies or shows with a bowl of popcorn are all great health-promoting activities right now.  Moreover when you keep them occupied with activities, they are less likely to eat out of boredom.

2)            Ask older kids to help you create a meal plan for the week and be in charge of picking which fruit or side dish goes best with your main meal.

3)             Get your picky eaters to get involved in cooking, encourage them to taste new foods in the process, although they may still decline to touch it once their dinner reaches the table, it is still a great start.

4)            And maintain a meal and snack schedule both because kids thrive on routine and because this will give them time to get hungry for meals. 

5)            Establish a regular sleeping schedule and stick to it.  Try not to read or watch stimulating shows on television just before bedtime.  Encourage them to keep their bedroom doors open if they are afraid of nightmares and reassure them of your presence.

Got anything more to add?  What are some of the things that worked out for you with your children?  Please do share your coping strategies, pointers and tips in the comments section.

Also read:

The Silver Lining in a Global Pandemic

to learn more coping strategies in this time of turmoil

http://nursingwithanitha.com/the-silver-lining-in-a-global-pandemic/(opens in a new tab)