5 Ways to Help Your Child Adjust to the New Normal
Processing what is going on in the world during COVID-19 is challenging as an adult. Processing what is going on as a child whose brain isn’t fully developed yet, is extremely challenging. The best thing parents can do right now is help their child process what is going on and help them adjust to the ever-changing new normal.
Parenting isn’t easy! During quarantine, many parents have had to put on all the hats; parents, teacher, cook, employee, nurse, caregiver, etc. Wearing all the hats can tire a person out, but adults still need to grant children the grace they are granting themselves because everyone is new to this “normal.” Adjusting to the new normal is going to help parents and children feel comfortable and confident in the world around them.
Throughout this blog post, we have linked additional resources we encourage you to check out. All of these resources are great to learn more about children, how they learn, process emotions, and tips and tricks for handling different learning abilities. Keep reading for 5 recommendations we have to help your child adjust to this new normal.
Adjusting to the New Normal
Set Routines
Routines are predictable and create stability. Stability is lacking in children’s lives right now whether their school has closed, they are stuck at home, or parents are working at home due to the pandemic. Understood.org says that children need routines and stability. If a child is used to the routine of a school where they know exactly what is going to happen every day, jolting into a world where things can change rapidly can be detrimental to children.
In these times of living in an ever-changing world, parents need to set routines and schedules for their children. Wake up at the same time, have meals at the same time, have set times for play and work, and have a bedtime routine. When children can predict what is going to happen throughout the day they will be more confident and feel secure.
2. Talk About Their Emotions
As adults, we talk to our spouses, families, friends, and colleagues to help process emotions about what is going on in the world. Children might have their siblings, but their main communicator is going to be their parents. Talking to children about their emotions will help them process what is going on around them.
Parent.com says that identifying and talking about emotions with children will help them understand that sometimes they will have to deal with an issue and emotion right away and other times they will have to walk away from it. Children’s behavior is oftentimes linked to their emotions. Once communication lines are open to talk about emotions, deeper and more powerful conversations can occur. They are trying to process these big emotions just like adults are, but they do not have as much experience or knowledge about how to handle their emotions.
3. Give Children Choices
In a world that is constantly changing, children have little control. While at home, parents can set up different opportunities for their child to feel in control over what is going on around them. They can have the choice between a big fork and a little fork, or what kind of cereal to eat for breakfast, or even what color of mask they want to wear outside.
When children have a controlled choice, one that is given by an adult, they will feel like they have control over things in their world. When they feel in control of their world, they will be able to handle changes with ease. Psychologytoday.com goes over different benefits and guidelines when presenting choices to children.
4. Set Up Healthy Habits
In this world of a new normal, hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes is a must. Mayoclinic.org goes into detail about the importance of washing hands and how to teach it to children. Children learn best by example so the adults in their lives need to be washing their hands before and after meals, after the restroom, after sneezing and coughing, and after blowing their nose.
Adults need to have children do the same. If a battle ensues over handwashing, parents can make it into a game or give them the choice between two different soaps. They will know they are going to wash their hands, but they get to choose if it is the pink soap or blue soap. While washing hands, adults can help by singing songs or counting because a good hand wash requires 20 seconds.
5. Let Them Play
Playtime is incredibly important for young minds. In a child’s free play, they are able to create a world outside of their own and become fully immersed in it. Oftentimes, children use free play to process their emotions.
During this new normal, we will see free play that reflects what is going on in the outside world. Children might make masks to cover up their doll's nose and face, have their doll wash their hands all the time, or they might even play doctor and help cure the virus. Voicesofplay.org showcases the many different benefits of free play; emotional processing is one of them.
While adults are still managing their emotions through this new normal it is also their job to help their children through it. It won’t be easy and parenting usually is not easy, but it will be worth it! These 5 steps will help your child adjust to the new normal and process their emotions and behavior doing so.
If you would like to read more about these five points and dive deeper into these topics, you can follow the links here: understood.org, parent.com, psychologytoday.com, mayoclinic.org, and voicesofplay.org.
During the course of transition in and out of the new normal, your child may spike in behavior. There is a multitude of reasons why you may see an increase in behaviors. If you would like to speak with one of our behavior analysts about these behaviors, you can contact us at 732-884-0580. We are happy to schedule a consultation with you.
