Parenting with Purpose
Jody Lee Cates
Parenting in a Pandemic Keeping Tabs on Stress and Anxiety The ongoing pandemic has created
an undercurrent of anxiety that continues to impact families even as we’ve adjusted to working and schooling from home, wearing masks and social distancing. Combined with the uncertainty of a situation that seems to change daily, COVID-related anxiety won’t be disappearing anytime soon. But parents can help kids cope by keeping tabs on anxiety and practicing healthy habits to manage family stress.
18 • SanDiegofamily.com • January 2021
Know your child’s stressors.
Stressors come in many shapes and sizes and differ between children based on personality and age. Socially outgoing kids may find schooling from home stressful, while those with social anxiety might welcome the reprieve. Some kids feel anxious about online learning, while others seem to handle it with ease. For pre-teens and adolescents, spending so much time at home may prove to be stressful at a stage when self-discovery
and gaining independence are signs of healthy development. Even in the same family, siblings handle stress differently, so knowing how each child reacts under normal circumstances will help parents recognize when anxiety is rising.
Identifying anxiety in kids.
The best defense against anxiety is to know how your child usually responds and notice any changes in behavior
