As the school year begins remotely this August, parents/caregivers are looking back at the spring and wondering how they are going to fulfil their responsibilities and also act as their child’s remote teacher. Experts around the globe are calling out the risks of this parental stress on children, and at Arizona Youth Partnership that social isolation, family and parental stress cause risk factors that can have poor outcomes on children. We work to prevent risk factors by building protective factors.
Here are five ways you can build protective factors in your family during these tough times:
Acknowledge your stress: Identify and accept that this is a stressful time and a stressful time for your children. Help them acknowledge it and have open, honest conversations about it.
Set a new routine: This pandemic has blown up most of our daily routines. Set up new ones and try to stick to them so that your kids know what to expect every day. Make a schedule for school, and breaks.
Strengthen your family relationships: Take time to have a family dinner or go for a walk or bike ride. Talk about your day and what’s going on. You can even sign up for a virtual family strengthening program that provides fun, facilitator guided family activities through Zoom and a gift card to order in dinner. Click here to see when the next session begins
Strengthen relationships with others in YOUR community: Don’t do it alone. Reach out, text a friend, Facetime or call. Just because we’re all social distancing, doesn’t mean we have to live in isolation! An unexpected call or text might even be just what someone else needs.
Reach out for support: there are many organizations providing a variety of services to address housing, economic support, nutrition, substance abuse, and healthcare.
We’ll get through this taking it one day at a time. Contact us at Arizona Youth Partnership to find out ways can support your family or community. Locate the office nearest you here
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