The COVID-19 health crisis has had a disruptive impact on the way people, cities, and the world itself lives and moves. Despite the unfortunate outcomes and difficult circumstances we’ve endured as a result of the pandemic, it has presented us with the unique opportunity to teach our children some valuable lessons that they will remember throughout their lives.
Make Individual Sacrifices For the Greater Good
The pandemic in a sense has flipped our lives 360 degrees. No more going out, gatherings, or weekly shopping sprees at the mall. We’re forced to stay indoors to not only protect ourselves but our community. It’s no surprise that your children have been confused about why their favorite activities like going to birthday parties or theme parks are no longer permissible. Although explaining why may be difficult, this is the perfect opportunity to teach your kids about self-sacrifice and empathy towards others. According to multiple studies, children have been found to hold a high amount of empathy for others. Try explaining to your children that by not going to Billy’s birthday party they’ll be saving the lives of thousands. Using figures that your children hold in high regard such as their grandparents helps them better understand the situation. Make them feel like superheroes--because they technically are--for their courageous action of staying at home! This will not only make life at home easier but also instill the value of sacrificing privileges they take for granted for the good of others.
Maintain a Close Relationship With Your Family
We can be so caught up with our responsibilities such as work, school, and running errands that family time becomes second priority. Even if you do prioritize family time, it’s still difficult to find a time frame everyone can fit into their schedule. Believe it or not, American families spend on average 38 minutes together every day. Although the pandemic is very unfortunate, it isn't all dark and gloomy. By quarantining ourselves we have the rare opportunity to spend more time with our family. Rather than spending quarantine bored in our rooms on our phones why not rekindle the family spark. Watch a movie or make a Tiktok together. The possibilities are endless, so let’s make something good out of this pandemic and come out not only stronger as a community but as a family.
Forming and Maintaining Good Habits
It is never too early for your kids to start forming and implementing their good habits, so let’s use the spare time from quarantine to improve ourselves. As a parent, you are your child’s greatest role model and you need to take charge in this effort. With that said, you should only act as a guiding force for your child rather than enforcing your habits and mindset upon them. The reason for this is that even though your kid is still young, they still have their preferences which is why you should get their input on how they want things to be done (within reasonable limits of course). To build these habits, try to understand your child’s mental state such as what motivates them--this will help you find the most effective method of instilling the goals. With that information, start making a schedule with your child and have him/her repeat this routine daily and adjust accordingly.
