Coping During COVID-19

Even though our physical doors are closed, we are still available to work with students and families.  At this time, email is our primary and initial method of communication.  You can contact Harman Counselor Michael Wadham (wadham.michael@oakwoodschools.org) or Smith Counselor Amber Perrott (perrott.amber@oakwoodschools.org) if you have a concern, or just want to talk to someone.

If needed, we can coordinate additional conversations via the phone or Google Meet. (Please keep in mind that while confidentiality is still a main priority, some of these platforms are not as confidential as a face-to-face meeting).

Although remaining inside is a good way to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus, it can also lead to being bored, anxious and stressed.  

Here are a few resources to help navigate your time at home:

• 99 Coping Skills
• Importance of a Routine Through This Unique Time
• Talking to Children About COVID-19
• Daily Journal 

If you, your student, or a peer is experiencing more extensive or crisis-related concerns (such as severe depression, harm to others, self-harm, or suicidal ideation), please contact one of the following resources immediately:

• Crisis Care (937) 224-4646
• Crisis Text Line-Text CONNECT to 741741
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK
• Drug and Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
• 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
• Dayton Children’s Crisis Center for students 17 or younger:
  • Monday through Friday 8:00 am - midnight
  • Saturday and Sunday 2:00 pm - midnight
  • Visit the ER during other times
• Miami Valley Hospital or Kettering Medical Center ER - if 18 or older

As we continue to move through these uncertain times, many of us are looking for ways to help one another.  Here are strategies for parents and students:

Prevention Strategies

1. Be Available to Talk

Kids have big questions, and it’s okay to answer them. Take cues from your kids and offer clear but concise answers in developmentally appropriate language. Keep the focus on what you are doing to prepare and prevention strategies that are within your control like proper handwashing and avoiding large crowds.

2. Limit News Exposure

Even when it seems like they’re not listening, kids pick up on what they hear on TV and radio. Newscasters’ tone of voice can be enough to set off alarm bells for kids, and unfamiliar words like pandemic and outbreak can be fear-inducing. Opt for watching or listening to news reports when kids are in bed or choose to read news articles if possible.

3. Stick to Routines and Boundaries

Kids thrive with routines and boundaries, and predictability can be very comforting in anxious times. When some things feel out of control, routines can give kids a sense of security. School-aged kids might be used to seeing a visual schedule in their classrooms, so try using one at all. Write your daily routine on a whiteboard or make a paper schedule together. And make sure you include fun activities in your daily routine! Play board games, play outside, or have silly dance parties.

4. Set & Track Daily Goals

Set small daily goals and track progress so kids can work toward something important to them! Make sure the goals are within their control. Set goals around how much they’ll read each day, how many free throws they’ll practice each day, or how many kind gestures they’ll show toward family members. Track progress on a goal chart so they can have a visual reminder of the progress they’re making!

5. Start or Continue Mindful Practices

Mindfulness is an amazing practice for people of all ages. If you don’t have a regular mindful practice already built in to your family time, try adding it to your routine. This can look like 5 minute morning or bedtime guided meditation (look for apps like Calm or Headspace) or simple mindful mandala coloring.

Responsive Strategies

6. Practice Controlled Breathing

If your child is showing signs of worry, take a moment to practice controlled breathing. You can simply count breaths for them (inhale 1 2 3 4 5 hold 1 2 3 4 exhale 1 2 3 4 5 6 7) or use tools like a pinwheel or bubbles. Help them slow their breathing and really exhale all of the air to calm their bodies and minds.

7. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Help your child release tension from their body with a progressive muscle relaxation. In this exercise, children gradually tense up their muscles and then release them. Find scripts for this on your favorite mindfulness app or on Youtube:

8. Use Grounding Strategies

Grounding strategies or techniques help kids reorient to the present moment when the worries are too big. These techniques help kids connect with their current environment in the here and now when their minds are imagining potential future scenarios.

9. Set a Timer

When it’s hard to let go of worries, set a 3- or 5-minute timer. During those 3 or 5 minutes, tell kids they’re allowed to think about the worry all they want! But when the timer goes off, it’s time to get up, change positions, move to a different room or environment, and think of something else.

10. Exercise Creativity

If you have a child who likes to draw or write, try a creative exercise. Have your child personify their worry by imagining what the worry might look like if it were a real person, creature or thing. Maybe it looks like a big dragon. Maybe it looks like a monster. Or maybe it looks like an annoying mosquito. Then, they can draw a picture or comic or write a story about themselves as a superhero who defeats the worry!

11. Use a Journal or Feelings Tracker

Give your kids a journal to write about feelings or use a feelings tracker daily. Sometimes worries are so big it feels like they define our whole day, but when we keep track of our feelings throughout the day with a visual tool, it’s easier to see that worries are a smaller part of a healthy balance of emotions.

Other Strategies

12. Acknowledge the Worries

It’s completely okay to acknowledge our kids’ worries rather than ignoring them. Acknowledging worries won’t solidify them but it will help your child understand that worry is a protective feeling that alerts us to potential danger. We can help ourselves remember it’s just potential danger though, and use strategies to keep our worries in check.

13. Avoid Participating in Worry Rituals

If your child is demonstrating any type of worry or checking ritual (i.e. washing hands excessively), avoid participating or encouraging these rituals. This sends the message to kids that the rituals are necessary when they see the adult they’re looking to for support doing it too. Remind kids of the everyday strategies and routines you already have in place to prevent or protect against illness, like washing before eating or wiping down shopping carts with disinfectant wipes.

14. Avoid Excessive Reassurance

It’s natural to want to reassure our kids! We want them to feel safe and calm. Reassure when needed but avoid offering it too frequently as this can prevent kids from developing their own positive self talk. Practice things they can say to themselves when they’re feeling worried like, “I can control my breathing,” or “My family is taking care of me.”

15. Be Mindful of Your Own Worries

Again, it’s completely reasonable for everyone to have some level of worry. But kids do pick up on our feelings and notice our anxieties, and they will take cues from us. If you’re feeling anxious, practice your own mindful or calming activities, call a friend or loved one, practice self care, or reach out for help. Even if you’re stuck at home, your therapist may offer phone services or you can try an app like Better Help or Talkspace.