Stressed Out and Overwhelmed: Managing Family Life During the COVID Crisis
FREE WEBINAR with Seth Perler and Dr. Sharon Saline May 6, 2020 8 pm EST Burned out on COVID-19?! We get it. Who would’ve thought that the world would change so dramatically? Schedules? What schedules? Kids are staying up late, sleeping to all hours, chores have gone by the wayside, parents are snippy with each other and the kids, and visa versa. Even the dog is unsure of what’s going on! Seth Perler, executive function and 2e coach and Sharon Saline, clinical psychologist, team up together to share the valuable insights they’ve gained during this pandemic. No crafts or meal-planning suggestions here, nor 5 simple steps to stay ahead of the school schedule. Instead, you’ll find in-the-trenches, boots-on-the-ground advice to take back the joy this pandemic has robbed your family of! We’re here to help you through the burn-out phase!
Stressed out and overwhelmed: Managing family life during the COVID crisis In this 45 minute free webinar, with extended time for your questions, we’ll provide actionable advice on how to keep the peace and ensure fond, lasting memories once this pandemic is over. Themes we’ll discuss:
- Stay connected: Prioritize the health of your relationships–to your kids, your partner and yourself.
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- Identify your feelings first – This is hard on you too. Accept your anxious feelings so you can meet your children and teens where they are.
- Learn how to foster attunement and compassion – These skills are vital to maintaining secure parent-child attachments.
- Empower yourself with the tools to deal with what’s coming at you – Learn how to be allies in creating good sleep, diet, exercise and meaningful contact with friends and family.
- Manage ourselves first: Everyone has stress and concerns right now, but our own distress and anxiety must be managed first before we intervene with our children. otherwise, we can’t access our better selves in moments of upset and frustration.
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- Identify the bodily signs when your nervous system is becoming activated.
- Learn effective, quick methods to self-regulate.
- Own your feelings and be accountable: It’s okay to be upset but it’s not great to blow up about something or blame others and not take responsibility for it.
- Reduce family reactivity: Acting out behaviors are messages that kids are overwhelmed and lack adequate coping skills
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- Understand your own patterns of dysregulation
- Make different choices
- Model alternative behaviors for your kids.
- Improve how everybody interacts with each other.
- Help your kids identify their body’s warning signs that they are triggered.
- Create a plan for dealing with these inevitable moments when you are all calm that you can use later.
- Be conscious of revving and call for a pause in the action.
- Don’t judge and criticize others’ feelings, hold the space to let things be.
- Use I statements, mirroring, reflective listening.
- Put down electronics and pay attention.
- Plan for work time and play periods:
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- Create a daily schedule that suits people’s needs and abilities.
- Plan for quality time as much as study time.
- Engage in family work time with planned breaks, distinct study periods and access to support.
- Use incentives that matter to kids to improve their participation and buy-in.
- Make sure you have daily fun time: have a daily activity that isn’t related to serious things such as playing board games, throwing a frisbee, shooting some hoops, riding a bike, baking, making music, etc.
- Limit screens: screen-free dinners, digital sundowns, devices live in parents’ rooms.
