Support to Help You and Your Little Ones While Social Distancing
These are unprecedented times, friends. (So unprecedented that I’m getting sick of the word!) So, if you’re feeling anxious, stressed, unsure, lonely or scared right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic….it’s completely justified.
I want to support you through this, so as a start, I’ve compiled a list of resources and options to help you stay sane and manage it all. This is a long post, so hang in there. I promise it’s very skimmable and most suggestions are free and available to everyone.
You’ll find 4 sections worth scrolling through:
How I can support you
At-Home Self-Care You Can Do While Social Distancing
Talking to Your Kids About Coronavirus
Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy, Happy & Growing While Social Distancing
Take what works for you and leave the rest. And by all means, if you’ve come up with a clever survival tactic that is working for you and your family, please post it in the comments!
Hang in there, mommas and poppas. You’re doing great. And please reach out if you need extra support.
How I Can Support You
I want you to know that I’m making adjustments in how I serve you, according to CDC recommendations. Here’s what I’m doing now to help us all get through this pandemic.
In-Person Social Distancing
Though this is subject to change, for now, I’m continuing to meet with clients in-person as needed. However, I’m doing this with caution and care. My office is set up to accommodate the recommended 6 feet of separation between us, and I’m disinfecting my office as much as humanly possible.
Telehealth Sessions
This is the safest and most effective method for us to meet. This allows us to continue our work together from the safety of our own homes. You might be wondering, “What is Telehealth?” Telehealth allows us to work together remotely via confidential video conference. It is HIPAA compliant, secure and super easy to use. All you need is a computer/phone/tablet and an internet connection. I also strongly recommend you doing our session from a quiet room with a door you can close and/or using earbuds during our session. This is for both privacy reasons as well as ensuring good sound quality. (But of course, we can’t halt life from happening around us…ambient noise from babies and kids is perfectly fine!)⠀⠀⠀⠀
Phone Sessions
For some clients, a regular phone call is preferable to Telehealth video conferencing. In those cases, I’m happy to accommodate that request.⠀⠀⠀
Free Online Support Group
Normally, I facilitate an in-person monthly Meetup group for parents of all ages and stages. Obviously, given CDC guidelines, we won’t be meeting in person for the foreseeable future. So, I’m hard at work figuring out a way we can meet online, so you can still get that consistent support for free. If this is something you’re interested in, send us a quick message letting us know and I’ll make sure you’re the first to get the details on how to join.
At-Home Self-Care You Can Do While Social Distancing
Free workouts on YouTube (Fitness Marshall, Carling Nicole, others?), Prime Video, etc. Lots of fitness trainers on Instagram are also posting free 30-day challenges you can do at home. Who are your favorites?
Those projects you’ve been putting off around the house
Re-organize something, even if it’s just a small project like one cabinet or your desktop. It’s amazing how this simple action can give your mind peace and clarity.
Doodle, get crafty, make something - Art is therapeutic!
If being in the kitchen is fun for you, try baking a new recipe. If being in the kitchen is just more stress, simplify your meal plans - I personally love emails for simplifying my time in the kitchen and did a review of it a while back, so check it out here. The best part about it is it will make a grocery list based on the meal plans you choose and then send it to Instacart, so it’s ready to go.
Marco Polo, Skype, FaceTime with your friends - I find Marco Polo app to be especially great for busy parents because the person on the receiving end doesn’t have to be live on the call with you. You just record your message to them and they view it when they have a free minute to watch. Then they respond to you, and you watch and respond when you have a free minute. So much better than playing phone tag!
Start that new hobby you always said you wanted to try - learn a new language, read a book, learn to crochet
Make your showers/baths as indulgent as possible - if you and your family are all getting on each other’s nerves, this might be your best bet for some alone time! Plus, this article suggests that we should be showering daily just in case, so it seems like a good enough excuse for a mini escape to me.
Take walks outside (weather permitting). Even 10 minutes outside provides lots of benefits.
Turn off the news and social media. Or at least set limits for yourself. Notice how you feel as you’re checking them (or immediately afterward). If you feel more stressed or drained or sad, let this motivate you to set limits.
Listen to a podcast (that isn’t news!) - Modern Love and Levar Burton Reads are great for a little mental escape. Which podcasts are you enjoying lately?
Listen to an audiobook - I saw that Libro.fm (an audiobook subscription service) is offering two audio books right now for the price of one and 100% of your payment goes to your local bookstore. Use code SHOPBOOKSTORESNOW. (I am not affiliated with Libro.fm in any way and they aren’t paying me to say this. I just happened to come across this deal and loved how it supports local business.) Or check your local library’s website to see if they offer audiobook or ebook downloads.
Watch your favorite comfort movies. Buzzfeed did a great list of suggestions. What would you add to it?
Join this free virtual 20-minute dance party, happening daily at 2 pm Eastern on IGTV.
I always say this, but it bears repeating: Let yourself off the hook for something. You’ll find a lot of posts on social media proclaiming this is a great time to write that book you’ve always dreamed of writing, to clean out your closets, or to keep your kids to a tight academic schedule while they’re home. I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to do it that way.
These are really trying times for all of us, and for some of us, it can really trigger our fears, anxieties and trauma. So, if you’re only focusing on surviving, that is OK. That is all you really need to do. You’re doing great, momma.
Talking to Your Kids About Coronavirus
If your kid likes comic books, here’s a great simple explanation.
If your kid likes watching cartoons or doing interactive activities online, this video and online tool will really help them.
If you want to talk to your kids about it yourself, here’s a great resource by PBS on how to do that in ways that kids can understand.
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