I don’t know about you, but am I the only one officially exhausted and drained by all the media coverage about the Coronavirus and struggling to find a new “normal” these days?
 
Chances are if you are reading this you’re trying to adjust to kids being out of school, working from home, trying to get all the usual chores and errands done with the some new obstacles and restrictions thrown in. Sleep schedules, work schedules, and routines you had grown to rely on since at least the fall of 2019 are no longer viable.
 
You got restless kids, blurred lines between work and home life, and what feels like limited social support. How are we supposed to function like this? Quick let’s take a look at the parent handbook! Oh wait where is it? Ah right…we didn’t get one! 
 
I’m here to tell you that it’s OK to not know exactly how to handle all of this.
It’s OK to “wing it” and figure it out as you go. It is perfectly OK to take it ONE DAY AT A TIME. Every day is going to look different because the circumstances are constantly changing as we learn more and adjust to our “new normal.”
 
Think about your priorities and those of the family. For some families a well defined structure and routine is key, for others it might be a little more flexible with a general “this needs to get done but in no particular order,” kind of feel, and yet for others the idea of structure only means more stress in an already stressful situation. Each person and family is unique.
 
Have a conversation with your partner and your family. Try out a family meeting where you check in with everyone on how they are handling things, ask if they have any questions or concerns, and if there is anything they need. A family meeting might help everyone feel heard, understood, and taken seriously when it comes to deciding the family’s new “normal.” This provides everyone with a little sense of control in a situation that can feel out of control.
 
Hope this post brings you some peace and ideas for finding your new “normal.”

Right now it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the topic of conversation that is COVID-19. I am here not to add to this stress. I decided to make this extra blog post this week in order to provide you with ways to cope and manage any difficult feelings that might be coming up for you or your teens. 

As I’ve mentioned in other blog posts, teens are definitely paying attention to you during moments of stress or crisis. They are paying extra attention to your nonverbal reactions and how you are coping with and managing your emotions. So in an effort to help them, and yourself of course, lets look at a few ways to keep calm and take care of yourself amid the COVID-19 stress.

Boundaries Check
First lets do a quick check-in. If you notice your stress and anxiety levels rising I would like you to ask yourself, “Is what I’m feeling genuinely my reaction, or is it that of those around me?” Noticing this allows you to create some mental distance and decide how to proceed next in a way that feels right to you. 

Take a Deep Breathe
When our bodies believe there is a threat it activates our internal alarm system (sympathetic system), think fight or flight. This then causes our bodies and mind to react in a way that is primarily focused on self-preservation and isn’t the most rational way to think or behave. Deep breathing (as cheesy as it might sound to you) for even 2-4 seconds on the inhale and 4-6 seconds on the exhale activates our calming system (parasympathetic system). This helps us regain control and have a clearer mind. There are lots of videos and apps like Calm that guide you through the process too. 

Observe, Name, Accept, CREATE
Taking a moment to observe your thoughts and feelings is the first crucial step towards getting a handle on them. Doing this has the potential to diminish their intensity, redirect them, and find healthier ways to cope and think moving forward. Taking it one step further and creating some art is a great way to process, express, and release thoughts and emotions about what is going on and your experiences. 

What are the facts? And what can I control?
Finding reputable sources and facts can help you focus on something that is not based in emotion. This can help counter any cognitive distortions that might be coming up for you and keeping you in the negative loop. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other local health agencies are credible. Once you have the facts then you can move to thinking about what you have control over, like the choices you make to travel, attend large gatherings, wash your hands, or disinfect high traffic areas in your home or office. This also helps you know where to turn to in case of questions from your teen.

Limit media consumption.
You have ultimate control over your social media feed and what channels you put on your TV. If you notice you become more anxious, stressed and/or scared after being on social media or watching a news clip, then maybe reduce how often you turn to these. Staying informed is one thing, but constantly being bombarded with information is another. 

Engage in Mindfulness activities.
Remember that mindfulness is all about focusing on the present and tapping into your 5 senses to do this. Engage in activities that require you to be in the moment instead of projecting yourself into the future and finding yourself worrying. Try making some art, listening to music, dancing, cooking a meal, taking a bubble bath, and lighting scented candles to name a few. One activity I recommend to my clients when feeling really stressed and needing some grounding it to try something I call 5,4,3,2,1. Name 5 things you can see in the room around you, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. The order of these might change depending on where you are, for example if you are in the kitchen you might do 5 things you can taste instead. 

Make a plan and discuss concerns.
One way that helps us manage our anxiety and stress about the unknown is to create a plan. Spend some time together as a family discussing what to do if you do find yourself being impacted. Things like contact information for doctors, local emergency lines, social support, etc. This not only helps you feel some control but also helps your teens feel included and like they have some control too. Be open and honest to addressing any questions your teen may have (this is where having good credible sources can be helpful), keep the answers simple, avoid telling them not to worry, and make sure the conversation isn’t before bedtime.  

Everything shared here is meant for you to keep calm as the parent, but it is also meant to be shared with your teen too! Talking to your teen can help reduce stress and anxiety in the house and keep everyone a little calmer which means less tension and arguments at home. 

For more on how to help your teen and any little ones you might also have at home, follow the links below:
​
How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus 
https://www.andreaheston.com/blog-1

Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety About COVID-19
https://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/helping-children-and-teens-cope-with-anxiety-covid-19/

Since parenting technically doesn't come with an owners manual and a handy trouble shooting section this means there are bound to be mistakes. Here are a few common mistakes I have seen, and heard, through my work with teens. I hope reading these here might help you avoid them or maybe just find new ways to interact with your teen that is more likely to help you connect on a deeper level.

1. Oversharing/Over Identifying
One of the most common things I hear from teens is how they feel their parents overshare or over identify in an effort to empathize with their teen. The desire to share and empathize with your teen is strong because it brings up your own past and the pain/success that you experienced. The issue here is teens often need to feel unique and have their experiences validated. Feeling heard by those whom they choose to share with is necessary before they will be open to hearing what wisdom you might have to share or before they are willing to ask for your experiences/advice.

2. Micromanaging/Hovering
Teens often talk about feeling like their parents don’t believe in their abilities and that they don’t trust their judgement. It’s hard to give them a little space and freedom because we have the wisdom and foresight to see where things can go horribly wrong, but this is also a great opportunity to for both of you to learn and grow. This does not mean allowing your teen to make very big, life changing mistakes, but it does mean allowing them to learn things with the help of some natural consequences. Giving them this space to make choices also gives them the message that you trust them, that they can come to you if the have any issues along the way, and therefore increases their self-esteem and confidence. 

3. Unrealistic Expectations
​Teens often discuss feeling overwhelmed by parental expectations, whether spoken outright or  unspoken. This is where knowing what is developmentally appropriate for a teen comes in handy and keeps you from becoming frustrated with your teen. Knowing what your teen is capable of regarding social skills, mental capacity, and decision making skills allows you to be more realistic with your expectations. Realistic expectations of your teen then leads to more opportunities for success which then leads to higher self-esteem and confidence in their abilities.

​4. Not Meeting your teen where they are.
Sometimes we get caught up in where we want a teen to be or where we see them in the future that we forget to pay attention to where they are right now. Meeting your teen where they are is about taking into account where they are based on their development and what their interests are. Knowing this before engaging with them then leads to more positive and meaningful interactions which in turn strengthen your relationship and increase the possibility of turning to you when they need it most.