Keeping Anxiety Low By Preparing For Flexibility In Summer 2020

We are just a few weeks away from Memorial Day Weekend and continue to have many unanswered questions. Will My child’s camp be modified in some capacity to protect he/she from Covid-19? Will my child’s camp be cancelled altogether? Will my child’s summer job become no longer available? Will our vacation plans be altered or cancelled?

As I speak with children and adolescents it is clear they are not prepared for the next possible change that may take place in their young lives. They are assuming or hopeful summer will arrive, and things will go back to their previous normal. It is important that we as parents start to prepare them for plan B or even C. Many children along with not believing this new normal could continue also have issues with last minutes change. Having the ability to flexible in many cases comes from anxiety but it certainly can come from other DSMV-IV diagnoses as well.

First, come up with options that may work for your child/ren and family before speaking with your child/ren. When preparing your child/ren for the need to be flexible it is advisable to write plan A, plan B and Plan C on separate sheets of paper. Making a difficult conversation both auditory and visual can assist in keeping the conversation fluid and calm.

Remember, it is important to be honest with your children but use age appropriate vocabulary. Keeping our children physically safe as well as emotionally secure during these difficult times is increasingly more complicated but proactive planning can assist in meeting this goal.

Shana Schwartz MSS. LCSW

www.shanaschwartz.com