COVID-19 Parenting: How Parents Can Reduce Stress In Children In This Critical Period | WHO
With the current scary reports about the coronavirus pandemic, a child may experience stress and symptoms of anxiety.
Most children will experience mild or intermittent symptoms, such as having days or times when they eat less, have trouble sleeping, seem more irritable, or express more worries. However, some children may have difficulty adjusting to the changes we are all experiencing due to the pandemic and may need more support to cope during this time.
In light of this, the World Health Organisation, WHO has urged parents to encourage their children to engage in physical exercise, noting that exercise not only helps build energy but also reduce stress in children.
The global health agency made the call in a post on its official Twitter handle on Monday, noting that exercise not only helps adult to de-stress but can also be a great help to reducing stress in children.
According to WHO, with COVID-19 forcing many children to stay at home, parents need to become more creative to channel the energy of children to ensure they stay healthy.
“Exercise helps kids with a lot of energy (and adults) to de-stress when we #StayAtHome. Let your child choose the music and have a 10-minute dance! You might even impress them with your moves,”
the global health agency said.
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Parents, WHO stated further, need to create a flexible but consistent daily routine for children and teenagers to get the best result.
It noted that getting the children involved in making the timetable for their period at home can help encourage them to follow it.
“Create a flexible but consistent daily routine. Children or teenagers can help plan the routine for the day -like making a school timetable. Children will follow this better if they help to make it. Include exercise in each day – this helps with stress and give kids lots of energy at home,”
the organisation further adviced.
Exercise helps kids with a lot of energy (and adults) to de-stress when we #StayAtHome.
Let your child choose the music and have a 10-minute dance! You might even impress them with your moves! ???
More parenting tips during #COVID19 ?https://t.co/lD4ejgTkVU pic.twitter.com/NepCjl8Jmm
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) December 21, 2020