Tips For Parents to Handle the (Hopefully) Last Leg of the Quarantine

Most likely, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing a great deal of stress for you and your family. The pandemic is putting a financial strain on many households, and many people are filing for unemployment benefits. Whether or not this is happening to you, it is vital that you maintain your spirits and hope. It’s crucial to stay on top of all your parenting duties, as well. Your children need you for guidance, a moral compass, emotional support, a good education, and much more, and being at home with them is a fine time to share many lessons and ideas with them. You don’t have to travel to a faraway destination spot or stay in a luxury hotel to find some inner peace and quiet, and you are encouraged to review the many things you have to be grateful for. You can do the same for your children, too.

Avoid Substance Abuse

Even if you are experiencing a great deal of stress, this is no time to resort to drugs or alcohol to soothe your nerves or take your mind off things. In any circumstance, it is widely known that abusing substances does not eliminate your woes, but rather, adds new ones. You have enough to worry about without having a financially draining addiction or problems with alcohol. Drink in moderation, if you drink at all, and do not even think about trying to drive while drunk or tipsy. Right now, traffic might be somewhat thinner than pre-pandemic levels, but that is no reason to get reckless on the roads. Drive defensively and stay vigilant like you always would, and arrive alive, as they say.

Some adults incorrectly think that they can get away with driving “buzzed,” but this is just as dangerous as driving drunk. Legally, driving drunk is when you operate a motor vehicle while your BAC (blood alcohol content) is 0.08% or higher, though some state laws have different, sometimes lower, thresholds. It’s never a good idea to test these odds since a DUI is a major crime and can result in various penalties, ranging from a license suspension to jail time or community service all the way to an ignition interlock device in your car. It’s even worse if you get arrested for a DUI more than once; a given DUI conviction will likely become a felony if it is your fourth DUI offense, or if you have had a DUI offense within 10 years of the most recent charge. Police officers across the nation only pull over and arrest a fraction of all drunk drivers, but that is no reason to challenge the odds. If you drink, don’t get behind the wheel at all, and make sure your older children understand that, too. A pandemic is not a fun “post-apocalyptic” scenario. All the rules of the road still apply.

Get Some Exercise

It is a good idea for you and your children to remain physically active, even during quarantine. Whether or not gyms and fitness centers are open near you, it is a good idea to practice social distancing and not touch anything out in public. The good news is that even if you have a physical disability (10% of the world’s population has one), you can still find ways to go outside and enjoy the fresh air, even if you’re not jogging or riding a bike. Many studies make it clear that just being outside, in nature and sunlight, can work wonders for your mood. Sun exposure boosts mood and makes your skin healthier, and you only need about 20 minutes of sun exposure to enjoy the benefits. The same is true if you go walking at a local park or in a nature trail, which can have a therapeutic effect. If no one is sick, you can bring the entire family along for a day hike, and the change of scenery can cheer you right up.

Always Focus On Learning

Even if your children are not currently going to school due to the pandemic, they still have all sorts of educational opportunities, especially with you around (and your spouse/partner, if one is around). Before the pandemic, many studies showed that the parents of public school students were hands-off in their children’s education. Around 24% of public school teachers reported a problematic lack of parental involvement in their school, and only about 3% of private school teachers reported this issue. But now, you are the best teacher figure your children have access to, and once the pandemic is over, you are likely to be much more involved in the formal education of your children.

Your children need constant mental stimulation from one source or another, and you should be aware that “school” and “education” are not exactly the same. Any of your children, from toddlers to those in their late teens, can stand to learn something new and expand their minds, which can make them lifelong learners. It is often said that a proper education goes far beyond K-12 school, and the most successful adults are those who are always ready to learn something new.

Books and magazines are a fine resource to try, and nonfiction books can cover just about any topic, from science and engineering to art, history, economics, politics, learning a second language, biology, astronomy, and much more. You can make informal classes with your children and teach them about these topics, and that can greatly help alleviate any idleness or boredom, and your children will have even more fun if they can choose the subject. Your children may have a favorite topic or class in school, and they may want to learn more about it. Critical thinking skills can also be exercise here through thoughtful questions and friendly debate, and naturally, the teacher to student ratio will be excellent. Any and all of your children can get a great deal of personal attention and guidance. Documentary movies and TV shows can help, too, and replace mind-numbing reality shows or other mass-produced entertainment. Platforms such as YouTube and Netflix have plenty of educational content as well as regular programming.

Mindfulness

Finally, consider mindfulness, which does not cost much time, energy, or money at all. Take a break from nonstop consumerism and try having a more meditative approach to everything around you, and find some quiet time to observe everything in great detail. You can open a window or sit on your porch and hear the birds sing and trees rustle, you can keep a journal, you can try cooking and savoring new food, and take a nice bath. In short, try to enjoy the little things, even the ones you take for granted and have a pleasant sensory experience. All this can drive down your stress levels, and divert you from temptations to drink in excess or go impulse shopping online. Such mindfulness, in turn, can make the rest of your quarantine much more manageable, and you can be more friendly and open with your children. High-stress levels might cause you to snap at your children or punish them severely for misdeeds, which is likely to just make things worse. But if you’re feeling good, your children may feel at ease, too.

Caring for your children means caring for their education and health, as well as juggling your own mental and physical well-being and avoiding harmful temptations. If you can do all this, your quarantine will be like a low-stress, friendly classroom where everyone can nurture themselves in all kinds of ways.