Even though we’re in the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) phase, the on-going COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) pandemic has become a norm in our lives; filling our daily conversations at home and at work, as well as, altering our lifestyles. Hence, the term New Normal.
Changes in our lifestyle can be identified through our daily routines including how we get up and travel to work, and greet others such as no handshakes or sitting close to one another as part of social distancing measures.
Specifically for Mums, certain aspects of our daily routines have changed for the better (…or for worse?).
Here we list a couple of tips for Mums to cope with the New Normal.
Does your child have sensitive skin?
The first thing you ought to find out is if your child has sensitive skin. No doubt, it is not easy to determine if he or she is merely experiencing normal itches or suffering from the effects of having sensitive skin.
Common causes of sensitive skin include: –
- Dry skin
- Rashes
- Allergic
- Mosquito bites
If left untreated, these skin conditions might lead to risk of infections.
How to stop them from scratching
Telling them to stop, is easier said than done. Fortunately, there are other methods that you can adopt.
Here are some tips to help your child avoid scratching.
Be Open With Your Child
If you have a child, it is important for you to be open by talking and listening to them.
How? Follow these steps:-
- Be open and attentive by allowing them to talk freely and/or asking them questions to find out what they know about COVID-19.
- Be honest by answering their questions truthfully since there’s no harm in educating them about the dangers of COVID-19. If you’re unsure about answering certain questions, use that to your advantage by finding out the answers together.
- Be supportive by showing you care about their safety and well-being as they may be scared or confused. Let them know you are there for them and that they can talk to you anytime.
- Be firm by discouraging any form of prejudice, stereotype or discrimination that they might view people who are sick or affected with COVID-19. Instead teach them to be compassionate and respectful.
Stay Positive
We understand it can be challenging sometimes especially when things get out of control with your kids. What’s more if you’re #WFH (Working From Home)! However, it is important to keep a cool head and exude positivity.
Try doing these:-
- Use positive words when talking to them. For instance, try saying “please”, “thank you” and “well done”. By setting the right example, it would surely rub off on them.
- Say it nicely instead of shouting or screaming at them. Being a figure of calm helps both of you to be in a relaxed mood, thus, making conversations a lot easier.
- Give praise where praise is due. However, don’t dwell too much on their accomplishments. Even if results don’t go their way, commend them for their efforts.
Making New Routines
Our daily routines pre-MCO, during MCO and post-MCO (hopefully sooner rather than later) are proving to be fairly constant – constantly changing that is. Where previously we would wake up early to send the kids to school before heading to work and organise family outings or gatherings during the weekends, now all that seems a distant dream.
With all that being said, now’s a good time for making new routines. Not sure how to start? Refer to these tips:-
- Draft a schedule for you and your kids with time for structured activities such as study time and clean-up time, as well as, free time. This can help smoothen your daily routines.
- Let them help plan the routines for the day. Your kids will more likely participate and follow through with the routines when they are involved in the planning process.
- Incorporate physical exercises as part of the routines. Exercising not only encourages you and your kids to stay healthy but also helps you to deal with energetic kids by directing them into doing something productive.
Learning Through Play
Although nurseries and kindergartens are allowed to reopen, most parents remain skeptical about sending their kids to those places for the time being. Plus, with schools temporarily closed, the onus is on parents to keep their kids company and occupied.
But how do you ensure that it’s not all fun and games but something that they can learn from as well? Try these:-
- Set aside time to spend with your kids. It can be for just 20 minutes or longer, but scheduling time to play and learn with your kids (see our points in Making New Routines) is an important first step in building that bond between parent and child. Furthermore, it’ll show that you are serious about teaching them.
- Ask them what they would like to do which will help to boost their self-confidence. However, if what they want to do contravenes social distancing measures, patiently tell them that certain activities are not suitable during these troubled times.
- Make learning fun by doing things that they might like such as singing (improve their language skills or introduce a new language through song), drawing (helps to build their imagination and creativity) and reading (enhance their knowledge).
- Try telling stories where you could tell them about your childhood or get them to tell you a story instead. You could also make up a new story with them and get them to act out a scene.
These tips were extracted from UNICEF. If you are interested to find out more, click here.
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