How to Help Children Ease Back Into Routines Post Covid
By: Elizabeth Koblenz, LMSW
As the weather starts to get nicer and things start to open up, it can be challenging to go back to “pre-covid” days and figure out what a new “normal” looks like. With new guidelines in effect, restrictions have eased and we can now socialize in ways we have not been able to in a while. Of course, we still need to be safe and practice healthy habits, but, we can start to have more frequent gatherings both inside and out. As the school year is ending, many children are starting to get excited about having the opportunity to return to camp this summer – whether it’s day camp or sleepaway camp, which is very exciting. Although going to camp is exciting, and reopening activities may feel great, it is possible that kids may feel overwhelmed navigating their new “norm”. It is possible that you may notice that your child may start to feel uneasy and question what is “right” versus “wrong” regarding what they are now allowed to do in regards to socializing and being around others. Here are some tips on how to help your child ease back into typical routines now that things are starting to re-open:
Allowing your child feel in control of their schedule is a great way to include them in the planning process and provide autonomy of their week. It can be helpful to start a routine to plan out their week with your child the Sunday before the week starts. Create a schedule together and empower them to writer out their activities. Once it is complete, they can keep it in their room and even make an extra copy to keep in the kitchen, too. Creating a schedule is a great way to keep your child organized and on top of their schedule. It will help them feel excited about upcoming activities and increase confidence by feeling in control of mapping out their week. This will allow your child to feel structure in understanding what to expect and how they can best prepare.
Talk to your child about how they are feeling about adjusting to their new normal. It is common for children to keep their thoughts and feelings in and not want to share how they are actually feeling, or, it is possible that they may not have words to describe how they are feeling. Normalize what they are thinking and feeling by explaining to them what the CDC is recommending and what is happening, while validating why it can all feel so confusing. It can be helpful to create an environment where they can feel safe to ask their questions and bring up any concerns by talking to them in a quiet space and during an uninterrupted time. Having space where they can explore their feelings with you can be a helpful way to improve on their understanding of the new guidelines, explore how they feel about the changes, as well as learn about what is safe for them to do.
Start lightly with acclimating them back into their routine and take notice of when they are uncomfortable. If your child used to love going to the park pre-pandemic, this could be a great place to start acclimating them back into some of their favorite activities. Talk to them about different outdoor activities and provide them with the opportunity to decide if they are comfortable with these activities or not. Work with your child to come up with some coping skills that they can use to help ease them back into their daily activities. Giving your child the tools to navigate uncertainty during this time is a skill that they can use throughout the rest of their life, too! These tools can include weekly therapy, coming up with a code word if they get uncomfortable, or even putting a time limit on the amount of time they are going to spend doing the activity. Having these tools will help your child to feel like they are in control and have a way of navigating an obstacle that might feel really challenging!
To learn more about how to help support your child acclimate back into their daily activities, feel free to reach out today to hello@upsidertherapy.com or give us a call at (646) 494-4878.