We thought we might be in the clear…then…Bam! COVID-19 VARIANTS! And just when we are supposed to be sending our kids back to school and off to college. I’m sure ANXIETY is running high for many! So many questions…
What am I supposed to do?
Do I send my kid(s) to school?
Do I keep them at home?
How am I supposed to make sure they learn and stay safe from COVID??
What if they get sick?
What if I get sick and can’t work or provide?
The WHAT IF’s are on high alert right now, which is causing the ANXIETY to spike. They said get vaccinated you’ll be safe…but now the vaccinated are at risk…not as high, but still at risk. So what’s a parent to do? I can’t answer that question…because the answer is different for everyone. The answer will change based on your lifestyle, your experience with COVID, your anxiety level, and your past traumas…Our world has forever changed, nothing is certain or 100% safe. The only thing we can truly do at this time is adapt.
What does adapt mean exactly: it means to look at your family life and ask yourself what is logical and doable. This will vary from family to family. Here are some questions to ask yourself when you’re trying to figure it out. Remember to be honest with yourself when you answer these questions.
- Am I capable of seriously teaching my children the curriculum they need to be successful?
2. Am I disciplined enough to create and maintain a strict schedule as they have in school?
3. Can I stick to a schedule for myself?
4. If I am capable and disciplined enough, can I carry this on all year long?
5. Can I protect my children and family from everything life will throw at us?
6. Can I watch out for my mental health and the mental health of my family?
7. What do I need to be successful this school year?
8. What do my children need to be successful this school year? (Ask them. Set some goals together)
Teaching isn’t easy! I used to be a teacher before I was a counselor. And believe me, I’ll never go back to teaching especially not my child. That’s hard work! Teachers…they don’t pay you enough! Ugh and by the way, parents you won’t get paid for this and you still have to be a mom, dad, wife, and husband, and do your job to pay the bills and provide for your children.
All I can tell you is I’m keeping my two-year-old in elective school mostly because he needs social interaction, and I’m a believer in the school system. Show them the importance of education and they will go far. Honestly, I can barely stick to my routine and his bedtime routine. School is a blessing. It helps me keep my life in order. Let’s just pray that they don’t shut down schools, again because that caused a lot of unnecessary stress which caused anxiety and depression in the majority of our clients and people all over the world (me included).
The best I can do for you right now is tell you to be kind to yourself and your family members. We can’t let the world scare us into doing things that will hurt us, and our mental health in the future. If you decide to keep your kiddos home make sure you have support.
- Create a schedule/plan for how your days will look and follow it.
- You don’t have to be super-teacher-parent-of-the-year, but you do have to teach them and they do have to learn.
- Make sure everyone is in counseling as a precaution or that you have regular family meetings to discuss emotions and thoughts.
- Learn great coping skills to share with your family, and practice them.
- Remind yourself if you’re feeling stressed or depressed, so are your children.
- Be patient, it’s okay to take a break and walk away.
- PLEASE! Stick to a routine. You need a routine and so do your children.
At Auravia, we will be here to help you and your family through these uncertain times. Don’t hesitate to reach out. If you don’t have insurance, no worries, we have counseling scholarships available, reduced intern rates, we take insurance, including Medicaid, and our app offers a subscription for $9.99 to talk to a counselor in our office (limited access).
