Here are some answers to those questions about managing and helping children’s and elderly people’s mental health.
The children need reassurance. Hear their fears, and seek to address their outbreak-related questions. Spend quality time with them, and give them the attention they need. Telling them stories to make them sleep should make them feel normal. Adopt and teach stories related to the moral values.
The children may be upset by physical distancing from friends. Encourage them to make video calls or skype call their mates, relatives and loved ones. You can also involve your kids and their friends in some fun activities that they can do together by remaining remotely linked.
At this stage, it’s common for your child to get anxious. Look out for your child’s emotional signals, and speak to them about the same. Do not avoid being judgmental when they share their emotions, do not ignore their COVID-related questions or talk negatively to them. This can raise their fear and anxiety. Rather, let them understand that things would be easier if we take good care of them.
It is not advisable to provide children with a lot of reports and news related to the outbreak. However it is important to give them correct information as to what is happening around the world, Give them proper facts in a way that they can understand to follow so that they do not remain confused, as this may increase their anxiety. You can make the explanations creative through pictures and drawings.
Children can easily get bored during this period, engage them in indoor games to cut down the boredom. By giving them puzzles to solve and teach them crafts you can also make their enjoyable learning. Encourage them to pick up a hobby, Involve the children in some stretching exercises like yoga, listening to music or dancing which they will enjoy. You may also include them in basic household tasks like cooking in order to keep them involved.
The schools are closed at this time, but this does not stop the children from studying. Make sure they have a daily habit of studying by giving them small tasks related to their lessons, Review the tasks to make it more interesting to understand their development.
Take good care of the health of your children. Ensure that when they cough or sneeze, they perform handwashing, and cover their mouth and nose with a bent elbow. Look out for any COVID-19 signs and if necessary reach out to your doctor. Have a plan in case your child falls sick. Make sure kids eat nutritious food, sleep well, and rest.