Tips to Reintegrate Children Post Lockdown
THE BUBBLE of LOCKDOWN BURSTS!!!! HOW DO CHILDREN EMERGE FROM COVID-19 LOCKDOWN AND INTEGRATE BACK INTO SOCIETY? Emerging from COVID-19 places children into an environment with a significant greater degree of VISUAL STIMULATION, LOUD NOISES and LARGE GROUPS of PEOPLE. RESEARCH INDICATES that being AWARE of the CHALLENGES of REINTEGRATION is the KEY to a more SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION. It may be DIFFICULT for CHILDREN to RECONNECT with FRIENDS and FAMILY. CHILDREN are often EXCITED about returning to their NORMAL ENVIRONMENTS, but can suffer from EXHAUSTION. EMERGING from LOCKDOWN is fraught with MANY CHANGES. CHILDREN THRIVE on PREDICTABLE and SEQUENCED ENVIRONMENTS.
CHILDREN may EXPERIENCE HEIGHTENED EMOTIONS such as ANXIETY.
- HELPFUL TIPS FOR CHILDREN TO REINTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY:
- DON’T DO TOO MANY THINGS TOO QUICKLY.
- DISCUSS CHILDREN’S FEELINGS MORE THAN USUAL.
- REMIND CHILDREN about the POSITIVES: seeing their FRIENDS and TEACHERS, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, HOLIDAYS.
- SUPPORT and EMPATHISE with your CHILD’S FEELINGS. 5.PARENTS and CARE GIVERS to be a ROLE MODEL for CHILDREN: being calm, predicting positives.
- CONTINUE DAILY ROUTINES.
- PROVIDE TIME FOR CHILDREN to TALK and DEBRIEF about their FEELINGS.
- CONTINUE to MODEL BASIC HYGIENE and LIFESTYLE PRACTICES.
- BE AWARE of MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES: WITHDRAWAL, SLEEP DISTURBANCE, LOSS of APPETITE, BED-WETTING, THUMB SUCKING, FEAR of the DARK, CLINGING to PARENTS.
- TEACH BEING GRATEFUL!
Robyn Taylor
BA(Macq), MA(Syd), Dip Clinical Psychology (Syd)