How are our littles coping with the Stay Home-Stay Safe order?

Day cares, schools, parks, libraries and other places to go with your young ones are closed. Chances are you have developed a routine by now for coping with self-quarantine and having your little ones at home. What can we do to keep them happy, engaged and thriving while maintaining our sanity? 

As adults, we worry about our family’s health and well-being, and the Corona Virus has wreaked havoc on our sense of security.  Your pediatrician’s office may be closed, but they are still available to you.  My grandson had a face-time appointment with his doctor.  His mom was able to get a prescription phoned into the pharmacy, as well as follow up instructions for when the Stay-Home, Stay-Safe order is lifted. If you have a concern, please call your pediatrician.  They will work with you to meet your child’s health needs.

If you have to work from home, let your co-workers know that you have young children.  They will understand when a Zoom meeting is interrupted!  Try to work during nap and after they have gone to bed, if possible. Enlist the help of your partner and older children to keep your littles busy. 

Facetime, Skype, and Zoom are our best tech tools during this time.  Keep your child connected to important people in their lives; skype with Grandma, Zoom with the preschool class or baby group.  We are truly in this together, at home.  Sharing common experiences with friends will help you and your child understand that we are not in this alone.

Young children look to you for guidance and will model your coping skills. Even though you are worried, try not to project that onto your child. Create a “business as usual” attitude.  Go for walks, play in the yard, color, draw, play and read stories.  As far as your young child is concerned, this is heaven on earth-plenty of time at home and lots of attention from their parents and family. Your young children should be blissfully unaware of the invisible germ causing so much disruption to our everyday lives. Try not to talk about illnesses, hospitals, and deaths in front of them.  We will remember this stressful event for a long time, but your children will remember the stories, cuddles, and fun they had at home.

Soon enough, this too shall pass and our sudden, long retreat at home will be over.  With any luck, we will be soaking in the sunshine and fresh air at playgrounds, beaches, and campgrounds this summer!

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