2021 is proving to be a challenging year for many of us, more so for kids, as they can’t always grasp the gravity of the situation. Also, since kids can have complex emotions, easing their stress and helping them be joyful can be challenging for parents. The best way to go about would be to redirect their attention from the stressful triggers and directing it towards joyful connections.
Listed below are four ways parents can speak joy in their kids during COVID times.
1) Find Joy in Your Own Life
As parents, you must first know that children are extremely receptive to their surroundings. If you look tensed or stressed, they are bound to pick up on those emotions and mirror them in their behavior. So what can you do about it?
Start by treating yourself with the same love and kindness you would want to give them. For instance:
- Resolve home problems confidently without sounding worried.
- Talk openly about both negative and positive experiences.
- Slow down and take a break from time to time. Find ways to relax and rest.
- Find creative ways to keep yourself occupied.
- It could involve playing family board games, talking to friends from time to time, learning a new skill.
Keep in mind, you cannot spark joy in others without learning how to be happy first. By finding ways to be joyful and learning from those experiences, you are more likely to spread happiness in your kid’s lives.
2) Create a Joyful Home
Kids are directly influenced by their parents and home environment. If you want your kids to be joyful, you must start by working towards creating a joyful home.
Start Family Traditions:
You can create a happiness jar. Family members can jot down the experiences that made them happy during the week and share them towards the end of the week. Or, before eating dinner, you can have everyone share what they are grateful for.
Putting Meaning Behind Household Tasks:
Teach your kids to find joy in daily household chores like cleaning dishes or laundry. You can remind them to be thankful for having good food and clean clothes.
Counting Your Blessings:
Teach your kids to be thankful and show gratitude for their blessings instead of worrying about things that are absent in their life. This can significantly increase joy and happiness in children. It will also help them develop empathy and build good emotional health.
3) Redirect Their Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts are the primary reason for anxiety and stress. You can help your kids avoid these thoughts by focusing on positive thoughts.
For instance, if they are worried about not meeting their friends, you can redirect their thoughts to the excitement of being on the playground once the pandemic situation stabilizes. You can also connect with other parents and plan out Zoom call playdates for kids. There are many ways you can make staying at home fun for your kids.
Through continued practice of pivoting their negative thoughts, they’ll slowly learn to redirect their thoughts and gain ample confidence to face stressful situations.
4) Help Them Manage their Time & Responsibilities
Children experience the world quite differently than adults. For them, the world is full of learning experiences, which can be overwhelming and exhausting at times. This is where time management comes in. Sure they need to spend time learning and studying, but time to recharge and relax is important as well.
If you start noticing your kid is complaining about doing certain activities, open a pathway for communication by asking why they feel that way.
Odds are, they are tired of staying at home, attending online classes, or are overwhelmed with what is happening in the world. You can ease out their stress by scheduling time in their daily routine. If they don’t feel like doing something, let them curl up on the couch with their favorite storybook, watch cartoons, or simply play with their toys.
Allow them breaks from studying and help them with their homework as well. You can also take them to the neighborhood playground. However, be sure to follow COVID-related safety guidelines before doing so.
We hope you have gained some valuable insights from this blog. The pandemic can be a difficult time for kids. However, by following the above-mentioned tips, you can use this difficult situation as a stepping stone to teach your kids to be grateful, thankful, and joyful. In fact, they will come out as better individuals and learn to appreciate the little things in life, which in turn, will contribute to their overall wellbeing.
