Wisdom For Parents During Crisis

What if a crisis like COVID-19 could be a wonderful opportunity for parents?

I hear many parents talking about the stress of spending increased time with their children at home. While it's good to see and learn things about the children that you didn't know before, you might also find yourself getting anxious. And when you don't know how to deal with the anxiety, it leads to even more stress.

Much of our stress comes from our thoughts and our focus on the circumstances which are causing the emotional tension. But it's important to remember that crises in life can also turn into wonderful, unexpected opportunities — when we change our mindset. Both adults and children are experiencing emotional ups and downs from COVID-19. There will never be a better time than now to practice and put into action strategies to manage our emotions.

Here's one example. Adults often say, "Don't cry" when children are upset because of unexpected changes in their routine, adjusting to  online classes, and being isolated from friends. However, it is important to teach children to acknowledge their feelings — so let them know it's okay to cry.

Allow children to practice expressing their emotions and exploring the thoughts that make them feel sad or angry. If they can learn these exercises from their parents at a young age, can you imagine how it could change their lives for the better?  Children who grow up watching their parents navigate this pandemic with mindset self-coaching will be better prepared as adults, no matter what difficulties they face in the future.

Most parents recognize the importance of encouraging children to study well, get good grades, and pursue a college degree. But it should also be a priority to teach them how to control their emotions in a healthy way. Educational psychologists observe that children who have learned to make wise decisions, with healthy thoughts, have a higher level of success and satisfaction in life.

Nothing is more important than learning to manage our thinking. We live with the result of how we think about our circumstances. Words and actions are triggered by our thoughts and feelings, so what we think is very important. Most people know to be careful in what they say, but it is very difficult to speak carefully when you do not change your fundamental thinking.

Parents often say they want to protect their children, but in many cases this is really control that hurts more than it helps. It is important to teach children to take responsibility for their own decisions. Nurturing an atmosphere that respects a child's character and autonomy is the most practical help for a healthy future.

When a child is having a problem, look for the source of the thought that caused the symptoms to appear. In some cases, finding a solution might start with examining the thinking of the parents — who might be seeing the child as the issue, instead of the problem itself.

The parents' healthy mindset, making life decisions with wisdom, and mature emotional control are the lubricants of a happy family. For help in becoming a role model with mindset self-coaching — and coping with your children wisely in this crisis — contact me below for FREE 30 minute Mindset Coaching.