At CHS, one of our core values is balance – something all families are struggling to find in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. As social distancing drives families into their homes, our communities can still come together. Here are some ways you can support your friends, families, neighbors and loved ones during these unprecedented times.
- Practice self-care! Put the oxygen mask on yourself before helping others. This includes caring for your emotional needs as well as maintaining proper hygiene and health. Chances are you’re working through the ups and downs of your own ‘new normal’. Make time and prioritize activities that give you meaning, purpose, or fulfillment.
- Stay home. Reduce the spread of COVID-19 by doing your part and staying home. Go out only for essentials including groceries and medical care. Remember: Staying home save lives.
- Grocery and errand run. If you need to go out for essentials, consider shopping for a family that could use you support. Families caring for immune suppressed and elderly loved ones can struggle with safely running errands. BONUS: You’re also helping to limit the amount of people out and about.
- Check-in. Maintain and schedule communication to engage families socially. Video calls from loved ones can help entertain children and ease common feelings of anxiety, loneliness and boredom for the whole family. With safe distance, we can still remain close.
- Share accurate, up-to-date information. Sharing false and outdated information can promote fear or panic. Although you need to stay informed, minimize exposure to media and social media that can sensationalize news. CHS looks to the CDC for the latest COVID-19 news: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- Share resources including nonperishable food, cleaning supplies and hygiene items. We are all tasked with reducing the risk and spread of COVID-19. Many families are facing hours cut from work and paper-thin budgets. If you have excess resources or bulk supplies to share, consider sharing with your neighbors and loved-ones to help keep us all safe. Share hand sanitizer, not germs.
- Help families engage in meaningful and fun activities. Families are working through extreme modifications in schedules and family time. These changes can lead to everyone feeling a bit cooped up. CHS is sharing tips for parents and daily kid’s activities to help beat the cabin fever. Finding new activities can be time consuming. Consider sharing directly with parents and caregivers to help create fun meaningful and safe interactions at home.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides a full guide to helping families cope with COVID-19.
