How to cope with stress and anxiety during COVID-19 is a question every family is trying to answer the best they can—the good news is you aren’t alone.

Your Role as a Caretaker

You, like most parents, worry about your job, providing for your children and spouse, and juggling all of life’s responsibilities well. Then, the COVID curveball came and added another layer of stress like school and business closures, government mandates, and social distancing. It isn’t easy to pretend these foreign stressors aren’t weighing on our health and happiness.

You have a unique opportunity, though, to refocus your thoughts on instilling positivity and resilience in your children. This newfound time together is a gift! By staying positive and helping your children maintain structure, an optimistic attitude, and bonding together as a family, you are setting them up to face life’s challenges in a healthy way.

We all understand the duty we have to set a good example for our children. Sometimes, the weight of this burden alone can seem too much to bear. It’s critical during these times to care for your own personal well-being. Taking a break for exercise or a hot shower can help relieve tense nerves. Share your feelings with a close friend or family member. Chances are they have many of the same emotions you are experiencing and may be able to offer valuable insight to make this rough patch a bit smoother. Finally, never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep!

Signs of Stress in Kids

Anxiety and depression are not uncommon in young people. Being isolated from school friends, outside counselors, or mentors may be overwhelming to a young child’s senses. They may be experiencing loneliness or are becoming increasingly bored and restless at home.

Be mindful of young children who become increasingly fussy or clingy. Take notice of changes in sleep patterns or wakefulness during the night. Toddlers and youngsters may revert back to childish habits they had once outgrown. These are all signs that your child may be trying to deal with anxiety.

Teenagers often hide their feelings from adults better than young children who haven’t learned how to control their emotions yet. Signs your teenager may be stressed or anxious are socially withdrawing from friends or family even on social media, sleeping all the time or not sleeping at night, changes in appetite, either eating too often or not hungry at all, or a lapse in personal hygiene.

Fostering During the Pandemic

Foster children may have an especially high sense of insecurity during the pandemic. This elevated stress of yet another routine turned upside down and the fear of the unknown can cause painful memories for children who have suffered from being separated from their families and their sense of “normal” in the past.

The effects can be emotional for foster children and parents alike. As foster parents, it is critical to remain emotionally available and supportive for children in your care during COVID-19. Remaining calm when a child acts out and redirecting their energy to something positive can help resolve tension.

Coping Together

The family that endures together triumphs together! No matter what your family structure looks like, these coping strategies are helpful for all ages and can be a special bonding experience between you and your loved ones:

• Exercise regularly: Take a family walk around the neighborhood or attend a virtual yoga class from your yard! Enjoy the sunshine at a nearby park. Stepping away from social media and the news coupled with fresh air makes way for a fresh perspective and renewed energy for the day.
•  Schedule a family game night: Sitting around a table without distraction from electronics can create lots of opportunities to talk with your family. Having fun and laughing together will give kids as well as spouses a feeling of unity and security. When they feel safe, they will open up in ways unexpected.
•  Discuss your feelings with your family: Sometimes, it starts with us. By being the first to admit that you sometimes struggle with the changes to your daily life will encourage your family to admit they do, too. Knowing you can lean on each other for understanding reinforces that the home is a safe place.
• Visit with your pediatrician or family advocate: They can reassure you that you are not the only family experiencing high emotion and stressful situations. They are there for your support and can provide your family with helpful resources to navigate these difficult waters.

Experiencing stress and anxiety during this difficult time is perfectly natural. Coping with it in a healthy fashion will bring peace to your home and to your heart. We have a well-respected history of caring for children and young adults with special mental and physical needs.