Living in Isolation: How to Look After Your Family's Mental Health
By Martina Roggero, LMFTA
Adapted from different sources, including the Child Mind Institute
Keep it positive
Pay attention to what is going well for you - there are always positive things around us, we just have to pay attention to them. You can..
Start a gratitude journal
Ask your family to share one thing they are grateful at dinner to help focus on the positive
Ask your kid to draw things that they are thankful for
Watch out for emotional contagion
It is well known that emotions, especially negative ones, are contagious. Limiting interactions with people who increase fear, worry, and anxiety, or news that makes you anxious, might be helpful. When you or your kids are dealing with strong emotions:
Build a calm-down area in your favorite room of your home
Check in daily with your family members about what emotions they are experiencing
Practice mindfulness and calming strategies
Look for opportunities and be creative
This is a great time to spend more quality time as a family or do things you have never had the time to do. Encourage each family member to set a goal of something they would like to do with their extra time. Kids might decide to learn the alphabet or improve their cartwheel, and you might decide to tackle that closet that you try to avoid because “it is soooo messy.”
Why don’t you brainstorm with your family for fun activities and things to learn?
Establish a routine and keep it in place
Routines are important in order to establish safety, expectations, and predictability. In a stressful and uncertain time, daily schedules and routines create the structure that your kids need to feel safe. It is important to empower your child to be healthy and to feel responsible for their own growth. Therefore, ask your kid to help you develop the schedule. They will bring their creativity and will feel empowered.
Don’t stop socializing
Kids are social beings. They need to interact with their peers, friends, and relatives. Therefore,
Allow and encourage them to have video chats with their peers. Schedule a virtual playdate. This will allow your kid to have something to look forward to.
Set up online play time with relatives.
Do things together. They need to spend quality time with you. Cook, exercise, and clean with them.
Encourage your kid to have “me time” as well as “family time.” Kids need to learn how to entertain themselves.