Weathering the Storm...

Creating Your Own Silver Lining Amidst Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has been disruptive, to say the least. It has woven itself into the fabric of our lives and changed the way we do almost everything. Despite its deleterious effects, Covid-19 has wrestled extraordinary fortitude and resilience out of us! We have survived far more than we thought we were capable of and that newfound strength is ours to keep!

We are still in the throes of this pandemic and although we have adapted in so many ways, many of us may still feel like we’re just treading water. There is still so much uncertainty and moving parts that at times, it seems like the only feeling that comes naturally is “overwhelmed”. But we’re not down and out yet! By focusing on the things in our lives we can control, we can regain a sense of ownership and empower our children as well. 

Let’s look into some small, actionable steps we can implement in our lives to maintain structure and most importantly… sanity!
 

Routines are your friend!

Routines have been found to be very helpful for children; they provide a sense of safety through their predictability and they help cultivate healthy habits. Here are some things to consider when planning your family routine; feel free to tweak as needed as each family’s needs may be different:

1. Plan your routine as a family. This collaboration works well because your children get a chance to be a part of the process, so then everyone knows the daily schedule (bedtimes, wake times etc.) as well as rules and repercussions. 

2. Put the schedules up where everyone can see them and access them easily. Whether it’s on the refrigerator or the bathroom door! 

3. Working from home is challenging, so try to set realistic goals for yourself and the children. Revisit and revise your schedule as needed. It’s your schedule so it should work for not against you!

4. Consider what your needs are as the parent, especially if you are working from home. You can even try color-coding the schedule so that a green zone can be a “free-to-talk” time and a red zone can be a “do-not-disturb-the-giant” time. You can have fun with the names and colors!

 

No Tech-Zones!

We are all more reliant on our digital devices than we would like to be… and by “we,” I mean the adults. Our children surely see nothing wrong with being on a screen from 8:00am to 8:00pm every day. With this in mind, creating times when we can unplug from the matrix may be a good idea. Here are just a few ideas:

1. The ISPS library is a great spot to check out after school. It offers a plethora of books to choose from. Check out ways you can check out books here.

2. Enrolling your child in after-school activities is a great way to unplug and allow them a chance to safely socialize with their peers.

3. You can try to plan a family games/movie night or even try camping out in the backyard. You can survey the family and choose a fun activity as a group each week or as often as you can manage.

4. Ensuring that your children use their devices appropriately is very important. Consider having a central nighttime charging station at your home that is either in your room or a common area in the house. You can even assign a “shut-off” time for all devices if that is something you think is needed. 

 

Family Matters!

The pandemic did have several serious implications, but it also inadvertently allowed families time to reconnect and bond in a way we had not been able to do as often before. Maybe that’s the one thing some of us wish we could hold onto as we transition back into our regular pre-Covid-19 schedules. Below are just a few jump starter ideas for preserving some precious moments together: 

1. Maybe you can all wear mismatched socks on a Wednesday or everyone wears pajama bottoms all day on Friday. No limits, you decide!

2. Because home is now the hub for everything, those four walls might start to feel quite restrictive. Why not encourage doing classes or homework in an area of the house they don’t usually do it! They can go to another room, down by the pool for independent work or even in the garden, just about anywhere that is still a conducive environment. 

3. Mindful mealtimes with no devices or television is a chance to check in with your children. You can find out about their favorite part of the day or if anything was a bit challenging. They can even get involved with meal preparations or setting the table as well.

4. Play together! You can join them on their favorite video game, on the trampoline or you can paint/draw together. An early beach day might be fun too! (Beaches open from 5:00am to 6:00pm) Although schedules are beneficial, we still need to allow unstructured time to play and be creative!

 

Implementing something new can be daunting and when things don’t work out as we hoped, naturally we want to give up and abandon ship. It might be helpful to consider these key factors to help ensure our plan’s success:

• Consistency- it takes time for a practice to become permanent so be patient but firm with yourself and your family. 

• Follow-through- showing our children how we go from “words to deeds” helps reinforce being held accountable for one’s own words/actions. Consequences and rewards should be handled the same way every time. Try to ensure that both are not out of proportion to the event and something you can actually deliver on. 

Take some time to read and re-read this as needed. I wish you well should you choose to accept this mission! You got this!

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me!

***Sources for this blog and a bonus article can be found here: Resources

 

Alyssa Jones
ES/MS School Counselor
ajones@isps.edu.tt