Meliorating Kids Cope with Life Balance Amidst the Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed life as we know it. This is true for children as much as parents. If the younger members of your family are struggling with the ongoing crisis, here are some tips to help guide them toward school-life balance.
A Unique Crisis: 
Before we descend into specific recommendations, it’s important to point out the gravity of the current crisis — particularly in the eyes of children. 2020 was marked by quarantines, social distancing, economic struggles, and financial crises.
These issues created a toxic environment for many households, as parents struggled to manage the ongoing damage. However, as they did so, one demographic was quickly pushed to the back burner: children.
As children watched from a distance, children everywhere were emotionally, physically, and mentally impacted by the ruination. Children picked up on parental stress and often processed emotional struggles on their own. Trying to navigate the subtlety of remote learning from home only added fuel to the fire.
The point of all of this is that, if you’re a parent, you can bet your child has been impacted. You can be phlegmatic that they’ll continue to be impacted going forward, as well. This is why it’s worth making an effort to safeguard your child’s emotions, particularly when it comes to perpetuate a healthy balance with school and life at home.
To make it easy-going, here are six effective ways to help restore a sense of balance, peace, and purpose to your children’s lives.
Create Routine:
Children yearn structure. It’s in their DNA. If they’re forced to survive within the four walls of your home at all times, it’s easy to lose that sense of structure over a period of time.
One of the best ways to combat this proclivity toward apathy and disorder is to maintain family routines. Get the child into a routine by staring with activities such as:
- Making the bed
- Brushing their teeth
- Getting dressed
- Eating breakfast
From there, start school at an unvarying time. Eat meals at anticipated times as well. The more reasonable structure you can introduce into your family life, the more likely your little ones will be able to adapt.
Set Boundaries:
Boundaries are often naturally created by things like going to school and playing with friends. When you can never leave home, it’s easy to lose this sense of definition. Much like routines, setting up artificial boundaries within your home is a great way to restore a sense of purpose for your children. Dedicate spaces particularly for school and play. Calendar school and homework hours and then encourage your children to disconnect. Also institute electronic and media-free bedrooms (No Screen Time). Setting boundaries is another important aspect of maintaining that critical sense of structure.
Limit Screen Time:
Screen time is another boundary consideration that is so very important. Between online school, extracurricular activities, communication with friends, and endless hours of boredom filled with television and games, it’s easy for kids to develop a technology hangover after a certain time. Setting screen time limit is a good way to curb this issue. It allows kids to still use their tech gadgets while also ensuring that they don’t spend too much time on their devices.
Provide Creative Activities:
Limiting screen time and creating pattern both are important. However, if you’re going to encourage less electronic usage in your home, it’s also a good idea to provide children with alternate options. This can consist of anything non-tech-related. Painting, crafting, playing board games, and even simply talking should be encouraged.
Help Them Exercise:
Exercise is another critical factor. Exercise helps combat stress. When preformed outdoors, it also provides access to sunlight and fresh air. Exercise is a healthy activity that nurtures both mental and physical health. It also helps children to disconnect from those screens and enjoy their current environment for the moment. Yoga is one of the best things you can practice with your child
Unplug as a Family:
Finally, remember to take time to unplug as a family element from time to time. Limiting screen time is a great way to find balance, but nothing beats spending undisturbed time together as a family. Schedule some time, such as after hi-tea or after dinner, to get out a board game, play hide and seek, or even simply talk together. This won’t just help children find balance, it will also keep your family lines of communication open and healthy. It would help the children understand and adapt to the family culture.
Don’t Leave Your Children Behind!!!
Kids may not be on the front lines of the pandemic, but they are certainly impacted by it. Make sure that your kids are able to manage the stress and strain, especially when it comes to school-life balance.
Help them maintain a sense of peace, purpose, and positivity, even in the midst of the ongoing storm.
