Covid19 has meant a lot of change, uncertainty and adjustment. This has been tough on us all, including our little people, who are feeling all the same emotions we are around home-schooling, missing family, not being able to see friends and having to stay home.
During these times, it can help to take a moment to tune in to what they might be needing. This months Parenting on Purpose gives you a few fun suggestions on ways you can connect and be present with your kids while providing them a safe space to navigate these big changes.
Just like us, sometimes taking a moment to slow down is all our little people need to get through their big feelings and come back into the present moment.
If they're feeling stressed, anxious, isolated or just a bit down, here are five things that might help.
1. A movie night can be a great way for the whole family to unwind and spend some quality time together - make some homemade popcorn, get comfy on the lounge with some blankets and pillows and enjoy a family flick together.
2. Just like working from home is a big change for us, school from home is a big change for our kids. Make sure they're taking time each day to step away from the desk, take a break from the screens and put down the books. Nature play is a great way to get kids outdoors and using their imagination. If the weather isn't great, think of some indoor activities that you can enjoy together, like Lego, Play-Doh, or putting on a puppet show with some stuffed animals.
3. There is no better cure for a stressful day and an overwhelmed mind than some sunshine, exercise and fresh air! The feelings we feel affect our bodies, which is why our muscles can feel tight and tense when we are anxious, or why we feel tired and grumpy when we are stressed. The same goes for our kids - you might notice tempers start to rise when they have been sitting at the computer screen doing schoolwork all day. This is the perfect time to get outside and get their bodies moving. Kick a ball around the backyard together, take the dog for a walk around the neighbourhood, go for a family bike ride or even try having a scavenger hunt.
4. Game night! You can get as creative as you want here - cards, board games, charades, themed trivia with prizes, balloon tennis, indoor bowling and fort building competitions are all great ways for the whole family to have some fun. You can even let the kids come up with their own games.
5. Craft time is another great way to get the kids thinking creatively and using their imaginations. There are so many ways you can get creative - painting, drawing, printable activities, air dry clay, craft. Fill a box with various craft things - pencils, cardboard, glitter glue, paddle pop sticks, pipe cleaners, stickers, googly eyes, toilet paper rolls, even small leaves, sticks and rocks from the backyard - don't overthink it - put it all in a box and let them get creative.
Remember, just like us, when struggling with big feelings around change, our little people are often needing to feel safe, loved and connected.