Managing Holiday Stress In A Time Of Covid

There is no denying that this holiday season has been different and will probably go down history as being one of the most challenging festive seasons for families around the world. Think about it for a moment; with the dark cloud of covid-19 coupled with highly divisive politics that have been characterized by hate, massive protests, lockdowns, and more; there is no other holiday season like that of 2020.

When you consider the fact that all this came at a time when hardworking citizens had to take pay cuts, others were laid off, and others keep living with the fear that they might get laid off, there is no denying that this is one of the most stressful times for everyone, from kids to adults. The festive season is supposed to be that time of the year when families get together to celebrate the year that is just ending and plan for the year that is coming. It is the time when people travel to places they have been planning to for months or years, and is that time when people shop till they drop, quite literally.

With all the limitations that we are facing these days, like travel restrictions, lack of money coupled with an uncertain future, fear of getting infected with covid, social distancing measures being put in place and more, everyone is stressed, in their own way.

How do you deal with all the stress coming from all directions?

How do you talk to children about the loss of income and any difficulties your family may be experiencing right now?

How do you engage teenagers about these things?

How do you keep kids interested and motivated to continue learning despite the restrictions?

How do you form and nurture the hope that things will be better, even when everything around you says otherwise?

What stress reduction techniques can you use?

How do you stop ruminating and negative thinking to stay sane in all the craziness?

How do you instill positive thinking for the future, even when there is nothing within the horizon that we will have your old normal back?

How do you start finding happiness and fulfillment elsewhere?

If you have these and other related questions, this post is for you, as it addresses them all in simple, straightforward language.

Where do you start?

Start by maintaining self-care. They say you cannot pour from an empty cup. You, too, cannot offer emotional support to your kids if you are in a bad place emotionally. Before your family came to be, you existed, and when they are all grown, you will be left all alone – even if you are the best of friends with your kids. As such, the responsibility of your family should not hinder you from strictly planning your day, minding that in as much as you should work harder, you should pamper your private life. Do things you love doing, take time to eat, and actually enjoy your meal, exercise more often and make sure you get enough sleep. Don’t stop there – try techniques like deep breathing and meditation, positive affirmations, focus on things that are within your control, take stock of the things you are grateful for, reduce your consumption of sensational news reporting and set and maintain a schedule.

Start pouring

According to UNICEF, it is important to be open with your children. If your child is at an age when they can comprehend situations, have conversations explaining how your finances are at the moment. Tell them how getting what they were used to is harder, help them understand why they need to elevate levels of cleanliness and the importance of social distancing, especially during the holidays when they might meet with others.

Plan efficient and workable school routines with your children where you can introduce school schedules. Incorporate the teachers in this too. This will keep your children in ‘school mode’ even at home. Incorporate supervised digital learning in their schedules. This will assist them to get more learning materials and more assignments. However, be cautious of what they do online. It’s a big online world, and you would not want your child to land the wrong learning.

With the Covid 19 news spreading like a bush fire, by now, all kids know about this. It is important to include these conversations in your day to day talk with them. CDC insists that you remain calm while answering their questions (no matter how irritable it gets), beware of ‘blame talks’ against the society, etc, and mostly, re-assure them that no matter what happens around the world, they are safe.

For teenagers, they are easier to grasp the intensity of the situation, so try to be real with them by reminding them of the importance of physical hygiene and mental hygiene. Keep communication between you and your teenagers flowing, especially if they have seen grief around them. You have to be keen not to let the world be there for your teenager. Get activities you can do together, do exercises together, take walks together, and involve them in ‘adult’ talks. This will boost their feelings of being accepted.

Overall, minimize your exposure to Covid 19 news. Death and infections is all we see and hear nowadays so get yourself busy with music or movies to give yourself a break. Keep conversations in your household lively and positive by getting out those old photo albums and video tapes. Skype/Zoom those long lost friends and relatives to keep your day lively, engage in those cooking online lessons, start painting, or get a new hobby. You will be surprised by what you are capable of during this holiday.

The important thing to note is that with our new normal, you should get new positives to get you through each day because, in all situations, life always has more goodies to offer. Follow our blog for periodic updates on creative and interesting things to do.

And keep hope!