In general, it is wonderful to consider looking at the world through the eyes of a child. Usually, we think of the wonder and excitement of seeing something for the first time. But our world is on its knees due to a Pandemic that has ripped away wonder and excitement and replaced it with distant learning, isolation, and a lot of fear. Children need to feel that the world is a safe place so they can feel free to explore and learn. We are in a climate where that is simply not possible. Instead of getting reassurance from their parents that everything will be alright, children are faced with the reality that their caregivers or someone they love or even they themselves, could get sick. There is so much uncertainty.
Parents who want more than anything to reassure their little ones that they won’t let anything bad happen to them are forced to teach their children why they need to wash their hands, wear a mask, and stay six feet away from their peers. Parents are trying to explain why they can’t see their friends or meet their new teacher in person.
I have had conversations with parents who are struggling to find the balance between playing with their child all day long and trying to get normal tasks done or work from home (if they can still work right now). It seems that parents feel guilty that their children are going through so much so they try to compensate for the struggles their children are facing. Even teenagers who normally look forward to playing sports, going to dances, going to parties, or even having a graduation ceremony, have been facing a new reality.
So, in trying to find a positive perspective, it occurred to me that these are actually very valuable life lessons for our young. Life is unpredictable and we can help them learn resilience through these experiences. Helping children and adolescents work through and process their feelings is important. Young children may express their feelings in their play or drawings, whereas teens may need to talk or write. They may even want to draw their feelings or express it through their social media platforms. What is different for teens and children today is of course all the ways to connect with the world through technology. But we can teach them skills for self-care like prayer, meditation, exercise, and creative expression. As always, if your child is exhibiting signs of depression or having panic attacks, please get them to a professional.
There is no doubt that these are trying times. But children look to us for safe keeping. We have the ability to lead by example. Show them self-care, positive attitude and prayer can get us through any challenging time, even if it needs to be moment by moment. Look for the Light for it does exist…