Support during COVID-19
Written by Casille Kristol, MC LAC
In the wake of recent events regarding COVID-19, Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels extends support to our warrior families who are battling every day. Many of us are intimately aware of the precautions and restrictions of immunocompromised children, and so much of these “new” regulations in place will seem familiar to you. Washing hands thoroughly, sanitizing surfaces effectively, and limiting social exposure to large crowds are just some of the ways you can continue to protect loved ones. Counseling services are to continue as normal as our offices are always disinfected and carefully monitored. We will continue to provide support amid recent events and are looking into alternative ways to provide support to our families.
We understand that you may be feeling overwhelmed and scared with the onslaught of information via social media on COVID-19. It can be difficult to explain what is occurring to children when you yourself may be experiencing intense fear.
Here are suggestions of what you can do to manage stress during this time:
1. Limit your exposure to breaking news and listen to legitimate sources. It is possible advice may change daily and it is important to be listening to sources that will be giving appropriate and accurate information like the Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community-mitigation-strategy.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/protect/index.html
2. Check in with your child and ask them first “what have you heard and how are you feeling” before providing facts and context. If they can verbalize, allow them to share fears before explaining and debunking memes, myths, and misconceptions they have learned from social media platforms. For older children and teens, youtube videos like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqtfqVsFaqc can help provide better clarity to big buzzwords.
3. Give children a safe space to express themselves. Encourage your child to reenact things they may have heard or seen with toys, use play to then explain things calmly and safely. Encourage your child to draw their fears if they are unable to verbalize them, validate their fears and then provide assurance and facts.
4. Remember that fear can be an icky monster that feeds on itself. As Sarah Cadwallender eloquently said, “fear is what motivates hate and selfishness, don't let it consume you”. She reminds us to ask ourselves every day, "Are my actions motivated by fact and caution, or terror of unknown possibilities?" Remember that the people around you are also in the environment of fear and remember that by spreading accurate information based in logic allow for a stronger community motivated by action instead of mindless anxiety.
We are here for you. We support you.
Sending you all butterfly kisses!