I’ve been writing this series for a few weeks now. If you’ve been following this series then by now, you should already know the definition of self-care.
My daughter shared something very thought provoking on her Facebook page a few days ago.
“Everyone is applauding everyone but OUR CHILDREN!!!! These little heroes have stayed indoors more than they’ve ever known in their lives. Their whole worlds have literally been turned upside down. All these rules they’ve never known. A life they couldn’t have imagined. All the things they love like sports, being with friends, going to school, or just being kids have all been taken away from them. Adults talking about others becoming unwell, news reporting death after death. Our poor children’s minds must be racing. Every day they get up and carry on despite all that’s going on. So here’s to our little heroes: today, tomorrow, forever ❤️
Copy and paste to celebrate our children and teenagers that have had to make immediate drastic changes to their lives.
💙🧡❤️💛💚💜”
After reading it again I thought about our children and grandchildren and what they must be going through not just emotionally, but physically also. Children need to feel loved, and reassured that this is not going to become a “normal” everyday thing. that they will see their friends again, play sports, swim, and all the other things they are used to doing.
Not only are parents and grandparents trying to learn how to deal with the stresses of The Unseen War Of 2020 and COVID-19, so are the teachers, school bus drivers, and everyone else that makes the function of our educational systems work.
Alessia Santoro is the editor of Popsugar.com in an article she gives this advice, ” A self-care regimen isn’t something that only busy parents who need “me time” should strive to have — kids, no matter their age, also need time to refresh and recharge mentally and physically, especially as they get older and more bogged down with school and work responsibilities. There are plenty of activities kids can engage in — whether alone or together as a family — that will help them to slow down, relax, take a breather, and hopefully feel less overworked, tired, and stressed”.
How can we help children to learn self-care?
Go for a bike ride.
Have a dance party with your family.
Build a blanket fort.
Go through old photos and make a photo album.
For more tips, you can read her article 45 Self-Care Activities For Kids To Unwind And Take A Breather which has more ideas.
Yes, this sucks in so many ways. Yes, we can hold our families tight and say to each other, “We will get through this together”. Keep in mind that if you’re not taking care of your own needs, then you won’t be any good for your loved ones.
I hope you found this post helpful. Please leave a comment.
Gain The Advantage,
Alicia Osmera
We may have to stay indoors, but it’s not the end of the world and we can still have a lot of fun. Our family has done bedtime stories on skype – my son read ‘Dust’ by Philip Pullman to us all. It was fun to share the story and to talk about it altogether, 3 generations.
Rosemary I am glad you are all okay.