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With many parents spending an increased amount of time at home with their children in light of COVID-19, David Lawrence Center’s Children’s Outreach Specialist Jessica Liria provides the following list of eight coping tips for parents to mindfully make it through these times:

Self-Care: Make time to de-stress. Set aside 30 minutes or so to do something you enjoy. By allowing yourself to relax, you will be better prepared to adapt to the changes related to COVID-19 and will be more capable of staying cool, calm, and collected.

Daily Routine: Do your best to stick to a routine. Designate times for schoolwork, chores, down time, dinner, bedtime, etc. This will provide a sense of comfort in knowing what comes next and will keep your household organized. Ensure that everyone is getting an adequate amount of sleeping, eating well, and taking care of hygiene needs.

Stay Connected: Utilize technology to socialize with family and friends that you are physically separated from. Allow kids to use social media, within reason and under your supervision. They can virtually eat lunch with their friends, work on school lessons together, play games, and more.

Check-in: Communicate openly with your kids to see how they are feeling. Make sure they are using healthy coping skills when they are feeling frustrated or sad. Help them to be informed about what is going on but keep it positive. Assure them that everything will be okay, and limit the amount of exposure to news reporting on COVID-19; one daily update is more than enough.

Make Plans: Discuss things that you can do together when this is all over. Decide on a few ideas and continue to talk about it once or twice a week. This will give everyone something to look forward to and will be a constant reminder to ensure it will happen when the time comes.

Be a Good Example: Pay close attention to what you are saying and doing. Your kids are listening and watching much more than usual these days. Use this as the time to show them how to handle stress effectively and how to be kind and respectful to one another. Now is the time to truly practice what you preach!

Have Fun: Explore ways to keep you and the kids busy and having fun together. Do an art project to add to your home’s décor, surround yourselves with blankets and have a cozy movie marathon, go on a neighborhood scavenger hunt…these are just a few ideas to get you started!

You’re Not Alone: Remember that this is new to us all. Teachers are putting countless hours into shifting their lessons online, doctors and other providers are exploring ways to meet health needs through virtual platforms, grocers are working to keep their shelves stocked with household needs, and we are all doing our best to push on for better days. Be patient. Be kind. Be safe.

Informational Sites for Parents

childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents

-Information related to coping strategies, behavior concerns, dealing with loss, self-care, and more.

coronavirus.gov

-Up to date information developed by the CDC with prevention and protection recommendations

nami.org

-National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website with great information relating to taking care of your mental health, easing children’s anxiety dealing with COVID-19 and more

kidshealth.org/en/parents/social-media-smarts.html

-Information for parents, teens, and children about the pros and cons of social media and how to use it safely

rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/content/250-creative-ways-keep-your-family-sane-during-covid-19-crisis

-250 ideas for things you can do with your kids at home to relieve boredom including games, science experiments, simple home improvement projects and more

verywellfamily.com/self-care-for-parents-4178010

-15 self-care strategies for parents

Community Resources

David Lawrence Centers, davidlawrencecenter.org, 239.491.7602

-Virtual or in person services for behavioral health needs, with program options for all ages and Emergency/Crisis Services available 24/7

Collier County Sheriff’s Office, colliersheriff.org, 239.252.9300

-Parent resources available via website and through Youth Resource Center, call 911 for immediate assistance in the case of an emergency

The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, naplesshelter.org, 239.775.1101

-Emergency hotline number and shelter for women and children in domestic violence situations

The Center for Progress and Excellence Mobile Crisis Unit, progressandexcellence.com/mobile-crisis, 844.395.4432

-Mobile crisis response arriving within 60 minutes at no cost