The new normal posed new challenges on what is now dubbed as coronavirus parenting. How to deal with kids transitioning to online learning while working from home yourself and staying on top of every other personal and family matter?
A recent survey conducted during the coronavirus pandemic revealed that at least 40 percent of parents admit to yelling and screaming at their kids, HuffPost reported. But for such parents, yelling was never the norm for them until the pandemic came.
Social needs not met
Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, moms can go to the gym, meet with friends at a local restaurant, and enjoy salon time with best friends. Now, everyone is forced to stay home to prevent the spreading of the virus.
Social support plays an even more vital role during the pandemic. Schedule some time to do virtual dates and chats with your social circle. Most importantly, take this time to be more present and intentional with your children.
Coronavirus Parenting Triggers
Some parents have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Their wages may have gone down, too. Some families are now struggling with one income.
While before, mom can focus on work at the office, now she has to adjust to a work-from-home setup. The kids may try to get her attention while she is in an important Zoom meeting and similar scenarios.
Further, mental health concerns are increasing among parents. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are becoming more evident. With more things to do, multitasking, and adjusting to the new normal ways of living, one cannot help but react to such triggers in the heat of coronavirus parenting.
Expectations
When the pandemic struck, parents were encouraged to focus on their child's math skills, organize their kids' closets, and other expectations that may be unrealistic in a situation less-than-ideal, Stephanie Lee, PsyD of the Child Mind Institute said.
But the new normal makes the parent/s multi-task on several roles at the same time. Mom plays the teacher, principal, laundress, chef, janitor, and that on top of her roles at work.
As everyone is adjusting to the normal, it is wiser to lower expectations. "Focus on relationships, then the time will be well spent, suggested parenting coach Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, Ph.D. She added that a tense and miserable environment at home is also linked to the child's brain and learning capacity.
Lack of sleep
The pandemic lockdown coined a new term for the lack of parental sleep. Coronasomnia is a real cause of worry. Parents experience fatigue and exhaustion, which make them more likely to explode at their kids.
ALSO READ : Are These Causing Your Baby Sleep Problems?
Parents Throwing Tantrums
It is also not uncommon during the pandemic for parents to start their own tantrums, Childmind reported. Some parents stick their tongue out at their little ones. When this happens, it is time to ask for help.
Parents need to model the right behavior, and reaching out for help sounds like a good plan.
By cutting yourself some slack, keeping yourself calm, and validating your feelings, it is easier to cope with coronavirus parenting sans yelling and screaming. It also helps to know that you are not the only parent hiding in the bathroom so that they will not yell at their kids.
