WHO: Parenting in the time of COVID-19
To help parents interact constructively with their children during this time of confinement, World Health Organization issued these six one-page tips for parents. Ideas about one-on-one time, staying positive, creating a daily routine, avoiding bad behaviour, managing stress, and talking about COVID-19 to children. WHO and many child-focused organizations like World Vision recommends these.
- One-on-one time: School shutdown is also a chance to make better relationships with our children and teenagers. One-on-One time is free and fun. It makes children feel loved and secure and shows them that they are important.
- Keeping positive: It’s hard to feel positive when our kids or teenagers are driving us crazy. We often end up saying “Stop doing that!” But children are much more likely to do what we ask if we give them positive instructions and lots of praise for what they do right.
- Structure up: COVID-19 has taken away our daily work, home and school routines. This is hard for children, teenagers and for you. Making new routines can help.
- Bad behaviour: All children misbehave. It is normal when children are tired, hungry, afraid, or learning independence. And they can drive us crazy when stuck at home.
- Keep calm and manage stress: This is a stressful time. Take care of yourself so you can support your children.
- Talking about COVID-19: Be willing to talk. They will already have heard something. Silence and secrets do not protect our children. Honesty and openness do. Think about how much they will understand. You know them best.
This article originally appeared on www.who.int. Minor edits have been made by the #WorldVisionPH.
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