With the worldwide population grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, being locked down in your home has been the norm across the countries. Staying put in your home has been the advisory people are being asked to follow.
With social distancing coming up as the most effective tool and weapon to fight the corona spread, and to break the chain of infection, this is the time to not just do your bit in supporting the government to curb the menace of this spread but also to bond with you family.
In a pre-corona world you would have rued spending less time with your family and kids, now is the best time to make the most of it. However, it’s not just about being there with them under the same roof, but to also share your experiences, insights and all about the life.
Children, while seeing all that is going through as something strange, may feel it hard to follow your commands. However, it is up to you and your parenting tips that can not only be effective for them how to survive this time, but can also prove valuable and righteous throughout their life.
Here, we are putting forward some key parenting tips in the times of corona and ensuing lockdown:
- Talk to Them About Anything and Everything – Become Their Friend
First and foremost, talk to them about the current situation. Secondly, in your busy life before you may not have had time to be with them and talk to them. But, now is the time to do so. Talk to them about how they are feeling, what plans they have in mind to carry on with their time, how they are going to manage and adapt to the online learning process, if there is, learn more about them. This is the time to become friends, remember it will bear fruit lifelong.
- Teach Them About Hygiene
We have been learning about this since childhood, in schools, and from elders in our homes. Keeping our clean and hygienic is a must-important life aspect that keeps us and our surroundings clean and free from diseases. This pandemic is an example of lack in hygiene, and it provides you a great opportunity to tell your kids about the hygiene, cleaning and sanitising; and what dangerous consequences can occur ignoring this fact.
- Set up Their Routine
Your children, small kids, might take this time as extended vacation and feel free to do as they wish. Having a routine is something that should be imbibed, whether it’s a regular day or a holiday. And this is something that, better tham telling them, set an example for them by having a set routine for yourself. They will see how you go about your daily life, and will listen to you. Make sure there is fixed time for meal, bed, study, play, hobbies, and so.
- Limit Their Exposure to Digital and TV World
Internet can be a boon as well as a curse; all it depends on how you make use of it. At the early age, it is easy for children to get fixated on the online world, be it social media, games, and so. Not only for the influx of information and engaging activities they take part in, it may also be bad for their eyes, health and cognitive growth. So, have a set time for when and how much they can access the digital world, view TV, etc.
- Teach Them about Patience, Tenacity and Punctuality
Kids, especially in primary stage and teenagers may get anxious about seeing this condition of the world, and how it is affecting daily life. However grave the situation at present, we know that it will pass. And this is something you should tell them – be good, follow hygiene, keep patience, and see this phase pass away. Teaching them about patience, regularity and resolve Is another aspect they should learn about from you.
- Have Them Develop a Hobby
While we may all be ruing this fact that we don’t have had a hobby, which we can have pursued during this lockdown, learn from this and make sure your children doesn’t let go of this opportunity. Talk to them, and see what interests them. Developing a hobby is a great asset for their own mental and skill growth and expansion. It can be learning to play chess, or trying hands at cooking, or developing a habit of book reading or so. It will be great to have their time utilised properly; as well as yours too, as learning something new doesn’t depend on age.
- Make Them do Household Chores
Doing one’s own work make for great learning activity as well as self-growth; it helps to become responsible, adhere to looking over and care for their things. Make sure that small works and tasks are carried out by your own children on their own, and also let them lend a helping hand to elders as well.
- Develop Workout Sessions at Home
Working out isn’t something that is reserved for outdoors and gymnasiums only. Age-specific workout activities, yoga and meditation is something that you can have your children adopt in their lifestyle. It will be an overall growth facet for them.
- Make Them Practice Mindfulness
It is easy for them to fell anxious and averse to the situation seeing their life scattered. They can’t visit their friends, go out to shop, play and roam around. This is the time when you should make them practice mindfulness, along with telling them why it is important to stay put at home. This will make them feel less restless. This isn’t something that can be done with meditations only, but through any activity that makes them learn something, feel contented in completing that task. It can be any home based task or a hobby.
- Let The Environment be Relaxing and Calm
Life is not about a race that you always feel compelled to compete and win. For most, during pre-corona time, it was all about work, money, position and so. This is something that led people away from their families, has been a cause of stress as well. This time, when you are under this pandemic, everything has come to a halt, and we are with what matters most to us – our family. Create a relaxing atmosphere at your home, have your kids bond with others. Let them imbibe it in themselves and learn that stressing about their professional and social life isn’t the only aspect of one’s life. There is more to life, and this is your family, your time, your health, and your recreation as well. Create an environment that is fun and filled with laughter at home, make them value moral values as much as anything else.
So, are you following effective parenting tips?? Are you making the best use of this time to bond with your kids? Let us know. Share your experiences and discuss how you are spending this time with your family and kids.