Raising a child is not a simple thing, especially during the isolation caused by the pandemic of COVID-19.
Everyone of us wants the best for his child. From going to a better school, to getting a better paid job, from more time together to more love and appreciation, but what really makes us a better parent is the way the child perceives all these things.
With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic we suddenly found ourselves in the situation of spending most of our time with family and implicitly with children. So, we could discover things we didn't know about them, but we certainly discovered how demanding all this time spent with them really is.
As we know children tend to copy everything they see around them and especially from their parents and loved ones, which is why your way of being is very important and what you manage to convey to them. That's why during this period the image they perceive about you is that of you being connected to the computer all the time or talking on the phone, and because you need to carry out your daily tasks at the office, they can feel neglected.
A few things you should be working on constantly, not just during this period would be:
1. Increased self-confidence. As for any person, especially for children it is important to feel in control of the situation and that he can handle himself. You can start by encouraging him to do new things, and your support is decisive in this endeavor. Try to let him do as much as possible on his own, and keep your interventions at a minimal and to only when they are really needed.
2. Praise not only the successes, but also the efforts. The chances of a child succeeding from the first try are small, so he must be encouraged and guided until he succeeds. The words of appreciation and praise he receives from you will make a huge difference in his efforts to overcome certain situations.
3. Limits and their observance. Most of the time children tend to go over the limits imposed by their parents or at least to test them. Imposing limits that the child knows, understands and respects contributes to the development of a strong and disciplined character. Setting these limits must be done in a way that the child understands that it is for his own good to respect them. Even if you're tempted to waive these limits in certain situations, you have to remember that what you're doing now is going to have a later impact and you'd better keep to your plan.
4. Time spent together. No matter what you do together, it's very important to be with your child and enjoy every moment. Perhaps of all the things that a child perceives, the fact that he spends time with his parents is the most appreciated and makes a difference in his development, regardless of age.
5. Talk to the little one. Set an open communication relationship with your child. By the fact that he can find support in you and that you can openly discuss any topic it's going to have long-term benefits for both of you.
6. The atmosphere at home. The child spends quite some time around the parents and at home, therefore a quiet home, full of love and harmony contributes to his development and helps to establish certain connections between parents and child.
7. Love first. The fact that a child is wrong is not an end to the world- that's why the way you behave in such situations and how you correct him it will make a difference in how your child will look at you. Try not to criticize him or blame him- explain to him in a calm and understandable manner the situation created, what led to it and how it could have been avoided.
One solution that we, EAP Romania, propose to companies, is that together with other organizational diagnostic tools to introduce a component dedicated to identifying the difficult situations that parents are going through. Our tools will automatically generate a number of recommendations based on responses provided by program participants. This way, they can benefit from advice outlined to their needs, and if more support is needed they can contact a specialist from our team.
Being a parent is perhaps the most difficult and grueling job in the world, but also the most beautiful. Every once in a while you should remember about yourself, too, and when you feel like you've reached the end of your powers, try to take a break and do something for yourself.
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