Anxiety Tamers for a COVID-19 World

by jphilo | Jun 25, 2020 | Different Dream, Self-Care and Stress

Anxiety Tamers for a COVID-19 World

Anxiety tamers for a COVID-19 world. Who would have thought, 6 months ago, that a post title like this one would be commonplace? Not me and not today’s guest blogger, Liz Matheis. Yet here she is with 3 simple and practical anxiety tamers for a COVID-19 world.

COVID-19 rocked all of our worlds – and not in a good way. Many of us were already anxious, and this has added a new dimension to our daily life. Nobody wants to feel this tense and scared all the time. Our children, teens and young adults look to us, their parents, as guides for their reactions and interpretations of this pandemic. I’s important that we gain a handle on our reactions and create consistency and predictability for ourselves and our children. These 3 anxiety tamers for a COVID-19 world can help you do so.

#1: Find a Routine and Stick to It

In times like these, it’s very easy to change the routines and general rules about screen time, bedtime, wake time, snacks or whatever else. I urge you to maintain a similar schedule from day to day. Set a wake up time, a time for lunch (perhaps the same as your child’s school schedule), screen time and bedtime. If you can, try to mimic your child’s school schedule by having periods of time during which certain activities will take place.

It’s very easy for our children to be entertained by an iPad, television or computer, but stick to time limits. Create a visual schedule with times or durations for each activity and follow it throughout the day. Build downtime for you as well as your child so you aren’t overwhelmed.

Stick to your new or revised routine so that your child can rely on the familiar amidst the unfamiliar. Making changes takes another element of your child’s life and makes it even rockier. Don’t feel bad and don’t offer too many exceptions or special treats to make this time easier for your child. That can make this situation confusing and anxiety-provoking.

#2: Have Fun

As you stay open to your child’s difficulty with this change in schedule, try to embrace the extra time you have with your child by doing something fun together. It’s easy to be overwhelmed as you are parent, teacher and therapist right now. Use this time to bake together, play a board game and prepare meals together. Make the most of this time that we do have in our homes with our families, and have fun!

#3: Keep Anxiety Out of the Mix

Your child sense your anxiety about changes in routine or your thoughts about the coronavirus, so take some deep breaths and incorporate yoga, meditation, or walks into your day to manage your anxiety.

Turn off the news. Avoid discussing the latest numbers of people diagnosed, the shortage of disinfecting products, or anything else in front of your children. If your child asks questions, answer just the question and don’t expand. Don’t offer statistics, numbers and don’t share your fears. A little bit of a response may be enough to satisfy your child.

As humans, we are creatures of habit. Many of us thrive on routine and familiarity and dread a change. These 3 anxiety tamers for a COVID-19 world can help your family thrive and deal with change. I am sending all parents everywhere good health vibes, prayers and patience!

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the monthly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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Dr. Liz Matheis is a clinical psychologist and school psychologist in Parsippany, NJ. She offers support, assessments, and advocacy for children who are managing Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities, and behavioral difficulties, as well as their families. She is also a contributor to several popular magazines. Visit www.psychedconsult.com for more information.

Author Jolene Philo

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The Caregiver’s Treasure

This morning, in the chilly half dark, I passed the houses along the route that leads to my favorite path. The acrid odor of burning electrical wires grew strong when I neared a ramshackle, uninhabited house that is the neighborhood eyesore. Yellow fire scene tape, barely visible in the dim light, stretched along the chain link fence surrounding the property, and I resolved to retrace my steps and get a better look near the end of my walk.

The clear light of day revealed the extent of the damage. The roof of the small, ranch house had caved in. Two sides of the house were burned away. The interior walls had collapsed. The house’s contents were unrecognizable, melted lumps of goo.

Yesterday, when I walked by, the house had been standing–in need of paint, sporting several broken windows, the yard shaggy and neglected–but it was still there.

This morning it is gone.
Dead.
Finished.
I am once again aware of how quickly and completely life can change.

I stared at the house and thought of when I first learned that lesson: the day my father died. For 38 years, my mother, my siblings and I watched multiple sclerosis rob Dad of the ability to walk, to write, to read, to control his bodily functions, to think clearly, to speak, and to feed himself.

The changes were small and incremental, sometimes barely discernible. They came so slowly and so gradually that for years it felt like nothing would ever change. Dad was trapped in a body that continually betrayed him. We were in limbo, waiting for the end we all knew was coming. But when he began to struggle to swallow, we knew the end was near.

On Sunday, Dad was fine when I took my 7-year-old daughter to read a story to him.
On Monday night, we received a call that Dad was running a fever.
On Tuesday, he died before noon.

One day Dad was there–his body compromised, his mind weakened, his spirit calm–but he was there.

The next day, he was dead.
His life was finished.
He was gone.
I experienced, for the first time, how quickly and completely life can change.

I stared at the burned out shell of the house. When the officials complete their inspection of the fire scene, there will be little for the demolition crew to do but cart away the rubble and smooth the ground. The house will be gone forever.

But, I realized, the same can not be said about Dad. My father is still here. He is part of who I am. Because of him, my perception of what constitutes a good life is quite different from the world’s view of a life well-lived.

For caregivers, a good life isn’t measured in major accomplishments–
Races won.
Money earned.
National acclaim.
Education achieved.

For caregivers, a life well-lived is measured in the small things–
A delayed milestone reached.
A tender moment shared.
The squeeze of a hand.
A fleeting smile of recognition.

These are the things Jesus teaches his people to treasure.
These are the things that matter.
This is the jewel caregivers carry with them when their loved one lives and when their loved one dies–
the unchanging value of every broken life.

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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Jolene Philo is a published author, speaker, wife, and mother of a son with special needs.