One of the alarming signs to come out of data is the damaging effects that young children are experiencing at the moment. Let’s face it, young children (0 – 7 years) need to develop their social and cognitive skills through interacting and watching other children and discover and learn about their world through play and exploration.
Children, do pick up on stress levels and young children do not have the skills to understand what is going on and research shows that fear also can be contagious as children are sensitive to the emotional state of the adults that surround them.
Let’s put ourselves into their very small shoes at the moment.
During this past year, your children have experienced,
- Social Isolation – loss of contact of love ones and interaction to friends.
- Lots of uncertainty with no coping strategies.
- Major changes to kindy, preschools or schooling.
- No consistency with severe changes to routines.
- Loss of security or feelings of safety.
Parents any of the above, could lead to developmental delays, regression, or major shifts in personality. Children with special needs are also more vulnerable to show problematic behaviors such as irritability, aggression, and social withdrawal.
At “Creating Functional Families”, we have been working quite consistently with families having their children acting out, internalizing stress (or anxiety) which for many has led to new physical ailments or behaviours and we know it’s only going to get worse for other families out there.
So what can you do and how can we help?
Here are just a few short-term coping skills to get you started.
- Improve your communications and time with your children.
- You need to comfort, be empathetic – talk about coping and validating your child’s feelings.
- Ask what do they know? Try to reduce or limit access to the mis-information or online news.
- Be mindful of adult conversations within ear shot of your small children.
- Find things, that your child enjoys and do them together.
- Take the time to select high quality educational and even active video games. (Yes quality screen time is helpful at the moment)
However, we have other solutions for you,
that once learnt creates positive lasting change, no matter what the current climate is doing.
I believe there has never been a more important time for parents to upskill and develop your emotional intelligence, empathy, and communication skill sets.
Here at Creating Functional Families, we specialize in “parental development”. empowering parents to consciously look to building a happier, stronger and resilient family unit, right now, taking action to compensate for the last year.
“There is no doubt, there is no more “back to normal”, parents need support now in gaining coping strategies for themselves and their children”. Says Kerre Burley CEO of the Goulding Institute and Creating Functional Families.
“Yes, in this current climate, we need to continue to instil good preventive habits with our children (face-masks, washing hands, physical distancing) but as a parent, you also need to be responsible for validating a child’s fear and anxiety, and give your children even more quality time and attention, now more than ever.”
To find out more about parental resources, solutions and assistance available now. Click on the following link. https://creatingfunctionalfamilies.com/the-first-step