Single Mothers and COVID-19: Tips to Keep Your Family Safe During the Pandemic
Introduction
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people from all walks of life. Single moms, however, have been hit harder. Adapting to the “new normal” has been challenging for all of us. But think of a single mom who is already struggling to balance her livelihood. The pain of losing employment and not being to access childcare services can make you lose focus. With “stay safe rules” such as isolation, life has become more difficult to single moms. In moments like this, single moms need to stay safe and learn to cope with the situation. The following tips will help you keep your family safe during these hard times.
Start Planning Beforehand
Worrying about your future amid pandemic is not going to help. Things will get better. Maybe you need to plan to get you distracted. Carry out financial planning. Remember to leave within your means. you need to know if you have to cut down on your daily expenses. Identify new ways you can create savings because you don’t know how long this is going to last. Don’t forget to plan for the small things your family needs like clothes or the books your kids will need next semester.
Childcare
Covid-19 has made it difficult for single moms to access childcare. How do you handle your childcare with other household responsibilities? Visit stores very early in the morning or late at night. Ensure you put your mask on, wash your hands frequently with soap and water for not less than 20 seconds. This ensures you are keeping your kids safe even as you handle other responsibilities. Suppose you are working from home, wake up early to get your work done. They will need your attention once they work.
Address Your Kids’ Fears
Your child depends on you for their safety. Make your kids reassurance that you are there for them.
Talk to them about frightening they hear on news about the pandemic. Mentioning to them that people get sick is harmless but ensure you follow with COVID-19 rules such as washing oh hands and staying at home as the remedy. As a single mom, the last thing you want to experience is seeing your kids breaking down emotionally. Keep them in touch with their friends or their extended family members through video chats.
Keep Your Kids Engaged
Children do not go to school anymore. So, do you keep your kids engaged? Reach out to teachers, counselors, peers, and couches from home. Help your kids stay connected. Have them a chart with their teacher and attend online classes through video platforms. Play with your kids and spend some time with them daily. Playing with your kids helps increase their cognitive skills.
Maintain Healthy Routines
Maintaining bedtime and other routines will reassure your kids that everything is okay. You may establish new schedules but they should follow general order, such as wake-up routines, getting dressed, having breakfast, playtime, lunch, doing some house chores, exercise and having some time chatting with friends online.
Managing Personal Stress
Single moms may develop stress because of the challenges they face. Not having a break from childcare responsibilities, or wondering what will happen if you contract coronavirus is difficult to bear. Maybe you can’t let go of the fear of your child’s exposure to the virus because they move between households.
Well, things may get worse if you let stress overcome you. Worrying yourself too much does more harm than good. Overthinking about the challenges you are going through makes you stay less focused, brings you more confusion and you may get depressed eventually. How do you manage personal stress?
Start by accepting the situation the way it is. You cannot strive to cope with a situation you have not accepted. Keep in mind that there are some things you can’t change. Only then will you be able to move on and improve what you know you can control.
You are not the only person facing a challenging situation. If it is a job you have lost, remember millions of people around the world have lost their only source of income. Accepting the situation is acknowledging the fact that some people are equally facing struggles and may need your support as well. This will help you stay focus on keeping your family safe during these hard times.
Exercise! If you are feeling stressed, doing some exercise can help. Exercise is a perfect way of achieving stress relief. You don’t have to stop maintaining your health simply because there’s a pandemic. You don’t have to engage in a heavy work out. Download free yoga videos online and practice the moves that will help you stay relaxed and focused.
Take care of yourself! Eat healthily and ensure you are getting enough sleep. Reach out to a counselor. Remember you are a single mom and your child needs your attention.
