Among many unanswered questions right now is what effect this pandemic will have on the mental health of children.
We turned to the experts to find out.
Plus, as Bearman points out, staying calm and positive helps the parents cope better as well.
Amy Smith, an occupational therapist and director of global business development atEnable My Child, agrees.
As she points out, children tend to rememberhowa parent is acting, rather than their specific words.
It also helps to explain, in an appropriate way, why these precautions are important.
There needs to be a why with these new rules, Smith says.
The more predictable it’s possible for you to make the schedule, the better.
(And lets be honest: Predictability is good for adults as well.)
It does take some thoughtfulness and creativity to try and keep things normal, Smith says.
Some kids will be able to verbalize what is going on, while many wont.
If a child wants to talk about their emotions, it is important to listen to them.
Dont ignore those warning signs, especially if they are verbalizing it to you, Smith says.
This also gives parents the opportunity to listen about what is going on, and to help them cope.
That said, most kids are still developing the tools to understand and describe their emotions.
Many children havent developed that level of awareness yet, Bearman says.
Its also essential to get help if a child seems to be in danger of hurting themselves or others.
Help could be in the form of therapy sessions, which can be done via video-conference.
Its also worth calling your pediatrician for advice.
It is normal and OK to be having a range of feelings right now, Smith says.
