Key strategies to staying sane and in control during Covid-19

Spring break, summer vacations and holidays are all exciting times of the year where the daily ritual of school, work, chores, and the never-ending to-do list gets tossed out the window and with pleasure. We all need a break from our daily routines to re-energize, to re-connect and to simply be.

But what about during these very uncertain times of Covid-19?  There is nothing customary or usual about our daily life right now.

So…..

How can we create order out of chaos? Here are a few tips to put control back in your life and to maintain your sanity while home with your kids.

1. Respond vs react. Your ability to remain calm and maintain a soft, neutral tone is critical to ease anxiety and chaos in the home. This is true whether there is anxiety about the corona virus itself, of the many unknowns impacting your daily life or if you are simply navigating daily parenting woes such as sibling rivalry and tech time battles. Hint: The energy you bring to each interaction with your child will likely be matched by your child.
2. Create predictable routines/maintain structure within your home.  This is a time of extreme uncertainty mixed with many unknowns. Predictability is an essential ingredient to helping ease anxiety, to helping our kids feel safe and secure (thus increasing the odds they are cooperative and fun to be with!). The more you and your kids know what to expect, the happier and less anxious everyone will be.Below are some questions/thoughts to consider when creating a predictable daily routine in this unpredictable time for your family:

• What time is best for your kids to wake up? (Yes, it’s ok to let them sleep past their normal school waking hour but within reason). Include the kids in the decision and stick to it.
• What time is best for your kids to call it a night? It can be so tempting to stay up late and to let your kids do the same, but the research is clear that this can wreak havoc on your kid’s mood and mental and physical health. Again, include your kids on the decision and stick to it.
• What time is best for YOU to wake up(and go to bed)? (Consider taking valuable “you time” while the kids are still sleeping whether simply enjoying peace and quiet or taking advantage of valuable focused time for work or otherwise. This is key to a healthy and positive jumpstart to your day.
• What is the best routine for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Who will make it? Who will clean up? This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to enlist kid’s help and to teach kids how to cook and prepare meals. Hint: The more a child learns to do for himself (and for others), the better the child feels about himself.
• Implement focus work/study time for ALL (at multiple intervals throughout the day). This is a great time for both parents and kids to focus together on work, assignments, reading, or creative time. Consider 30-45 minutes on, 10-15 minutes off. Hint: follow your child’s school schedule.
• Build in daily physical activity and free time. This is necessary for all to keep sane and to maintain focus and health! – Take nature hikes, play backyard games, have the kids create obstacle courses, enlist the kids to create a family workout routine, jump rope, play twister, etc. and make sure to HAVE FUN together.***During free time, take time for yourself!!! After all, you can only be with your kids for so long and have fun at the same time.

3. Create a healthy, balanced plan for tech time. Kids will no doubt be missing their friends. Facetime and other virtual means of connecting will be a welcomed part of the day for all. Gaming, Youtube and social media will also likely be on your kids priority list.  Together, with your kids, create a plan that all can agree with. When your kids are included in the decision-making they are much more likely to follow through with the plan. Make sure to build in tech-free zones and tech-free time that all follow through with, and yes this includes you, parents! Consistency is the magic ingredient here!
4. Build in special family time! Truly the silver lining of Covid-19! Beware: Being home together is NOT a replacement for precious time spent together.

Every family has been given a golden opportunity to connect more deeply with one another; to learn more about one another; to learn from one another and more. Hint: enlisting tech-free time during special times spent together will send a powerful message to your children!

What will you do to create moments and memories with your children?

I wonder what rituals and traditions will be created from your Covid-19 time together as a family?

As for my husband and me, all of our kids are grown and gone. While being empty nesters has its advantages I am missing my family being all together so we, too, can create moments and memories for our family playbook and photo book from this very unusual time in our history. We will however get creative just as I am encouraging you to do.

You may not have control over Covid-19 but you do have control of how you respond and what you do to make the most of these very unprecedented times.

What will be your silver lining of Covid-19?

Wishing you health and much laughter with your family!

Sharon