It’s true. There are so many things right now that are out of our control. Many of us have been on this planet for decades and decades and decades(+), and we have never experienced anything like what has been going on in our world. We have many years of life experience which has taught us how to cope, and yet these days are still unsettling, confusing, and exhausting.
Knowing this, please keep in mind what it must feel like to our children, who have been on this planet only a handful of years. They are listening. They are watching, and yet they don’t have a whole lot of experience coping.
They do not need to be a part of all the unfiltered stress that is going on above their heads. They won’t know what to do with it.
What they do need right now and every single day, is to be told that they are safe and they are loved.
Please remember to unleash your frustrations and fears privately. I’m not suggesting that you never talk to your children about the state of things. You must. They can feel that something is going on and deserve an explanation and a safe place to express their fears and/or ask questions. What I am suggesting is that when you do include them in the conversation, be prepared. Be calm. Be clear and concise. Be available and open. Be their safe place. Remind them that families lean on each other during difficult times, and as you tell them this, I hope you find comfort in those words, too.
The silver-lining outcome of everything we’re going through has to be that families will use this time to make meaningful memories together in order to truly connect, so they can emerge more compassionate and stronger than ever.