Be Attentive: Protecting Children’s Mental Health During Covid-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people of all ages around the world. Children, in particular, have been met with the repercussions of lockdowns, social distancing and school closure in ways none of us would have ever anticipated.
In all of this chaos, your child’s mental health could have been affected. Therefore, it’s important to keep a close eye on any signs of distress in your child and act promptly to support them in the right way.
#1: Communicate with them
Communicating with your child, whether they are adolescents or teens, is crucial to understanding their state of mental health. Unfortunately, many children have been too scared to go to school or wear face masks in public because of the pandemic. As a parent, you should empathize with your children and hear any concerns they may have.
#2: Provide proper COVID-19-related information
In these times of social media, your child could be exposed to an overwhelming amount of information online. Therefore, it’s essential to educate your children about the scientifically proven facts about the COVID-19 virus and debunk any myths they may believe in. In addition, it would help if you also encouraged them to adopt safe social distancing and face mask practices.
#3: Get them vaccinated if they qualify
Some countries have started vaccinating children against the COVID-19 virus. If your child qualifies for a vaccine, getting their immunization shot is a good way to give them some peace of mind.
#4: Support their goals at school
After a full year of virtual learning, children are slowly starting to go back to school across the world. However, the year-long hiatus in physical teaching may have instilled poor learning habits in your child and difficulty coping with the school curriculum.
As a parent, you should be fully supportive of your child’s progress and help them through these unprecedented times.
Takeaway
The current health crisis has taken a toll on our physical and social well-being and our children’s mental health. Make sure you know how your child feels about the pandemic and its related adjustments for a healthy state of mind.
