The Little Blue Book

Talk, Talk Lots So, talk to them and encourage them to talk about their feelings; respond to their concerns, let them know that they are safe and that the family is safe. Help them understand that it is normal for them to feel upset or troubled during difficult times or uncertainty. Talk about the ‘ups and downs’ that come as part of life – that there are things we can control, and things we can’t. And, that sometimes things get a little harder, but that is the way our lives work. By talking about the challenges, and listening to the concerns of your children, you can help counter negative thoughts and fears and open them to ‘helpful’ thinking – to looking for positives, to finding things about this day that makes them happy, and that there is always something good to be found if we just look a little closer. 1 Remind them that, by helping each other, challenges “like this” can bring the family closer together, and that they may discover strength that they didn’t know they had. And, of course, remind them that “these difficulties will end”. Talk to them about any changes or belt-tightening that the family may have to make. You can help them feel needed by having them help you – get them involved in doing little things to help, like cooking, like being ‘the lights monitor’ (to turn off lights that don’t need to be on), like helping in the garden or planting things in pots. Ask them for suggestions they might have for other things that they might do. And have some fun: lighten up the mood by doing some fun things together, share jokes, do some ‘dumb’ things, do something special… just be yourself, talk and laugh, be involved with them, and they will take their cues from you. It’s never easy, but a family with strong bonds built on talking, sharing, caring and loving each other, is the best protection against anxiety and insecurity. (1) Emotional growth; helping children and families ‘bounce back Australian Family Physician Vol. 34, (2005) Noble T. PhD, Australian Catholic University, Sydney McGrath H. PhD, Deakin University, Melbourne (2) Coping with Traumatic Events, National Institute Of Mental Health, www.nimh.nih.gov (3) Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Disasters and other Traumatic Events www.nimh.nih.gov (4) www.psycom.net/help-kids-with-anxiety COVID-19: The Challenge 58