Top tips on how to cope with children

THE British Psychological Society’s Division of Educational and Child Psychology has published a number of tips for parents and carers facing the prolonged school closures.

These are:

„ Stress and anxiety in such an unusual and unpredictable situation is normal.

„ Children can sometimes believe they are responsible for events that are beyond their control – reassure them it is the adults’ job to keep them safe.

„ Friendships are key to maintaining resilience for children, so help them to maintain these relationships through phone calls, online communication, and writing letters.

„ Normalise the experience for young people by reassuring them there are lots of other people in the same situation right now.

„ Having a routine and structure helps children to feel secure in uncertain times, and involving them in creating this structure, perhaps visually, can be particularly helpful.

„ Don’t put too much pressure on doing academic work. Parents and carers are not teachers, and it is important to also spend time building relationships, enjoying shared activities and reassuring children.

„ Restrict access to rolling news coverage. While it’s important to keep up to date, constant exposure to news can be overwhelming for both adults and children.

„ Young people may be concerned about the announcement that exams will not go ahead as planned. Acknowledge the uncertainty, but reassure them a plan is being put together to make sure everyone gets the qualification they have worked towards.

„ Play is fundamental to the wellbeing and development of children of all ages, and a great way to reduce stress in adults.