With the current news pretty much completely focused on coronavirus, we’re all feeling a little tense and anxious. And this is made even worse if you have kids.
You may have to have them cooped up in the house to avoid them getting infected – or infecting other, more vulnerable people you might be close to.
And this could cause you a few headaches – especially if your kids are younger and need more attention. Here are my suggestions for keeping your kids safe during this outbreak.
Keep an eye on them
When they’re stuck in the house or backyard all day, they might start acting a little rambunctious. This is exactly the sort of time they might suffer a personal injury. Whether it’s getting hold of dangerous substances or items or risking a jump off a level that’s a little too high for them, they could hurt themselves in a huge variety of ways. So even if you’re not watching them like a hawk constantly, keep an eye on them to ensure they’re not getting into too much trouble.
Understand teenagers
If your kids are older, you also face the risk of them sneaking out of home to meet their friends or significant others. Isolation can be hugely difficult for teenagers, so try to be understanding of the challenges they’re facing. Let them have plenty of time on their phones and social media to keep their friendships going. Although they may not want to talk to you, ensuring they can talk to their friends can keep them from potentially risky meetings.
Talk to them
During an outbreak like this, there’s a lot of information out there. This means that your kids could easily come across something that isn’t accurate or that could scare them. So instead of banning them from the internet completely so they don’t find this kind of information, talk to them about it. Bearing in mind their age and what’s appropriate for them, let them know what the facts are and what the authorities are doing to keep people safe. Remind them that this is the reason they’re not in school.
Keep them active
If your kids are just being advised to stay home to avoid spreading the virus and they’re not showing any symptoms of illness, it should be fine to keep them active. But don’t go taking them to the gym or local pool. Try to keep everyone active while they’re out in the open. Think about going for long walks or bike rides. Taking the kids out while you’re walking the dog is another good idea. Or get them involved in activities in the backyard. Set up football tournaments or other competitions to keep it fun.
Stick to the routines
When your kids are at home, they might start thinking of it as a vacation. But the usual routines should still apply. Wake them up at the usual time and stick to meals at the usual times. Don’t let them eat too much junk food and limit their TV and Netflix time. But because they’ve got so much more free time, it’s probably best to keep to your weekend limits rather than the weekday ones. But make sure they’re still going to bed at the usual times. You don’t want to risk them getting cranky because they’re too tired in the day.