Dealing with disappointment: allow your child to grieve

20 April 2020 / TodaysWomanNow.com S pring is a time of celebration. It is the time of year when many families are preparing for proms, graduations, and parties. These are significant milestones that parents and children look forward to for years. Unfortunately, the current health epidemic has led to the cancellation or delay of many of these events, and dealing with a child’s disappointment can be a challenging task for parents. Many parents are wondering how to help their children through these disappointments while also managing their own fears regarding their health, their jobs, and the economy. LISTEN

If your child is struggling to accept the reality of what has been taken from them, the best thing you can do is listen. While it is easy to downplay the significance of these events, it is important to allow your child the opportunity to grieve. Allow them to feel and express their emotions. Let them know that what they are feeling is normal and let them know you are there to listen. You can also share with them your own emotions regarding missing their events to let them know they are not alone in their disappointment. LOOK TO THE FUTURE

Beyond listening, we can help our children by looking to the future. During trying times, it helps to have something to look forward to. While we cannot promise graduation ceremonies and proms, we can use this time in isolation to plan alternative events to mark these significant milestones. Use this as an opportunity to personalize your child’s celebration. Ask your child to work with you to identify an activity that would be a meaningful way to celebrate their achievements.

As parents, it can be heartbreaking to see our children suffer disappointments. However, this current crisis provides an opportunity. It allows us to show our children that experiencing sadness and disappointment is a part of life. And while we can’t prevent bad things from happening, we can continue to show our love and support for one another as we plan for a more hopeful future. By Kimberly M. LaFollette, PsyD. Teens are facing the possibility of missing out on important, steppingstone events in their lives due to COVID-19. DURING TRYING TIMES, IT HELPS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

A visit to a virtual sheep farm might be something you need to see right now.

IDEAS FROM A TEACHER TO HELP YOUR DAY

By Connie Meyer

Melissa Fischer teaches at the Kentucky School for the Blind. She has two sons, Spencer, 9, and Logan, 15. Since the closing of schools for coronavirus, Melissa is maintaining a daily routine that allows her to oversee the carefully planned lessons of her regular students while being sure her own sons complete their lessons with minimal amount of disagreement. Melissa also has students who she regularly tutors after school for the ACT college entrance exams using FaceTime.

Melissa is constantly searching for new ideas to keep her students engaged. She found virtual field trips online where students can learn and feel like they are on an adventure at the same time. Her son Spencer recently went on a virtual field trip to a farm in Canada where he saw how they make cheese and shear sheep. She also discovered that the Frazier History Museum offers free tours of its exhibits online.

When asked for tips during this challenging time, Melissa does not hesitate. “Some advice I would give is to keep a consistent routine during the school day. Create a daily schedule with your children and stick to it.”

Melissa maintains a regular schedule every day for her students and her sons. Each has their own work space where they keep regular hours for school work with scheduled breaks in between. At 3pm each day her son Spencer enjoys seeing what animals are featured online from the Cincinnati

Zoo. Melissa and her boys go to Planet Fitness online every evening at 7 for a cardio workout together. During their breaks each day Melissa encourages Spencer and Logan to go outside when the weather allows to shoot hoops or go for walks. She encourages her boys to develop their cooking skills by baking together or making smoothies. Whatever the activity may be, Melissa is not just teaching but making memories with her sons as well.

VIRTUAL EXPLORATION The Frazier History Museum is offering a virtual tour of a different exhibit daily.

The Speed Art Museum is providing a virtual look at its artwork with downloadable educational worksheets.