Children Having Anxiety and Stress During Pandemic

 It is nothing we already do not know - but talking about it helps. Parents of numerous children have had to deal with stress and anxiety in their children during the Covid-19 pandemic all over the country. Dallas is no different. How can you help children suffering from this? Here is what a licensed clinical worker said, according to a report on Star Telegram.

She advised parents to be aware of the mental health of their children. The school plays an important role and helps.

In recent days, Covid-19 cases are rising in Tarrant County and other places across the United States. There are warnings about the implications the pandemic could have on the mental health of children. Already, there are reports that children are with loved ones who fell sick, are finding the change in school routines depressing.

Parents and guardians can take the following steps to help their children feel safe. They can reduce their anxiety by helping them understand the current events.

3 Things To Do To Help Children Deal With Stress & Anxiety

1 - Communicate

Talk about their going back to school, about mental health care, listen to their thoughts about their feelings, and another thing, even going back to the school. Especially during high-stress moments, anxiety, or feeling fear, talk to them. When a kid feels depressed they do not need to feel judged, slandered, unloved, or laughed at by the adults.

Explain the pandemic to the child, and let them know it is okay. Encourage them to share how they feel with you from time to time.

2 - Be Flexible

You need to be flexible when helping the kids going back to school. Kids respond to changes around them and the people responding to the changes. They learn how to respond from the adults. So be responsible as adults and be flexible to the changes.

3 – Schools Should Also Be Responsible

Schools also have a role and should implement these two points to support the children in school. Be open to the changes happening due to the circumstances resulting from the Covid-19 situation.

According to the article on Star Telegram, Lauren Kelly, a professor of educational psychology at the University of North Texas said that numerous factors affect a child’s mentality. How often they listen to the adults around them and the news talking about the pandemic affects them mentally. For their mental health, caregivers and parents should be cautious. She reportedly said:

 “A huge mitigating factor for the direct effect on children are their parents and how they handle it.”

Although these are challenging times, being a role model as an adult for the kids we are raising is important. Let me know what your thoughts on this are.