PARENTING DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

“Every kid is unique and it’s important to find out what works best for your child.”
— USA Today

Whether parents are working at home with kids, or managing their kids learning at home, the experience presents a unique set of challenges. 

Parenting Advice from Boston Children's Hospital

• Get expert insight, advice, and tips for talking about COVID-19 with your kids as well as coping resources for the whole family.
• Boston Children's addresses the six common parenting challenges. 
• Most parents aren't trained to be teachers, and the experience can be frustrating for both parent and child. "Tips for getting through the rest of this school year — and possibly next" may help you all get through it.
• Wearing a mask is very effective at helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, but it can also trigger a host of skin problems for children and teens, including acne, irritation, rashes, and chafing behind the ears. Learn how to prevent and treat mask-related acne in children and teens.

Parenting Advice from the World Health Organization 

A new online storybook, "My Hero is You" aims to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19.

"My Hero is You" - A New Book to Help Children Cope with Covid-19

With the help of the fantasy creature, Ario, “My Hero is You, How kids can fight COVID-19!” children learn how they can protect themselves, their families, and their friends from coronavirus, as well as how to manage difficult emotions when confronted with a new and rapidly changing reality.¹

The book, aimed primarily at children aged 6 to 11 years old, is a project of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, a unique collaboration of United Nations agencies, national and international nongovernmental organizations and international agencies providing mental health and psychosocial support in emergency settings.

WORK PRODUCTIVITY RESOURCES

If you are working from home, you may struggle with finding a balance between productivity, emotional well-being, and setting boundaries between work life and home life. The following resources may ensure a better work-life balance.

3 Tips To Boost Your Productivity

It's best when work occurs in a room other than the bedroom, but if that's your only option, these productivity boosting suggestions can help separate work from rest and sleep by creating "sleep-supportive, productivity-enhancing" workspaces.

According to Johns Hopkins University, your physical and emotional well-being play a major role in academic, professional, and personal success. Take time to establish and maintain an active and informed wellness plan to create harmony between your work and home life.

• Stay active
• Eat healthful meals
• Get good quality sleep
• Make time for yourself
• Look after your mental health
• Keep in touch with the people you care about

Stay Active

Concerns about coronavirus are not going away, therefore, it’s imperative to find ways to maintain physical activity. Exercise has a major impact on reducing anxiety, stress and depression.

Tom Fisher, a kinesiology senior lecturer and exercise physiology expert, provides suggestions for staying motivated and active during the pandemic — and it doesn't require special equipment. But, if working out isn't your thing, a walk can do wonders for your body and your mind.

Eat Healthful Meals

A lack of a daily routine, stress, and anxiety can disrupt your mood. Uma Naidoo, MD, a contributor to Harvard Health Publishing, has a plan to help you make mindful food choices that reduce anxiety, lower stress, and boost immunity.

Get Good Quality Sleep

People suffered from lack of sleep and insomnia before coronavirus, according to the Sleep Foundation. Disruption of daily life, anxiety and worry, depression and isolation, and family and work stress are now significant barriers to sleep since the start of the pandemic. Improve your sleep quality by following the Sleep Foundation's sleep guidelines.